New Delhi

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today has approved four projects of the Ministry of Railways with a total cost of approximately Rs 9,450 crore.

According to an official release, the four projects include: Kharagpur - Bhadrak (Ranital) 4th Line - 173 km (West Bengal and Odisha), Bhadrak - Haridaspur 4th Line - 75 km (Odisha), Gummidipundi - Gudur 3rd and 4th Line - 90 km (Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu) and Cuttack - Paradeep (Badabandha) 3rd and 4th Line - 72 km (Odisha)

The increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. These multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion. The projects are in line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a new India, which will make people of the region 'Atmanirbhar' (self-reliant) by way of comprehensive development in the area, which will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities, as stated in the release.

The projects are planned on the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan with a focus on enhancing multi-modal connectivity & logistics efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations. These projects will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods, and services.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday announced that the Union Cabinet has approved the Kharagpur-Bhadrak railway project, aimed at expanding the coastal rail network in Odisha.

Vaishnaw said, "The Cabinet has approved the Kharagpur to Bhadrak project. It goes via Baleshwar and down to Rupsa; after Rupsa, down to Bhadrak. This is complete along the entire coast of Odisha. This is a line going along the coast. This line is now being made into four lines between Kharagpur and Bhadrak... Two mega bridges will be built. 41 major bridges will be built, and 169 minor bridges will be built... The total project length is 173 kilometres, and the cost of the project will be Rs 3352 crores..."

The four projects covering 8 Districts across the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 410 Kms. The proposed multi-tracking projects will enhance connectivity to approximately 6,448 villages, which have a population of about 60 lakhs.

The proposed capacity enhancement will improve rail connectivity to several prominent tourist destinations across the country, including Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhitarkanika National Park, Maa Bhadrakali temple, Maa Dhamarai temple, Panchalingeswar Temple, Talsari-Udaypur and Chandipur Beach, Pulicat Lake, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, Lord Veeraraghava Perumal Temple, Gada Kujanga Jagannath Temple, Sarala Temple, Dhabaleswar Temple, Lalitgiri (a Buddhist site), etc.

READ MORE:Woman pilot hit LeT's Muridke center, and more facts about Operation Sindoor

The proposed projects are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as coal, iron ore, cement, iron and steel, containers, automobiles, food grains, etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 76 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum).

The Railways, being an environment-friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising the logistics cost of the country, reduce oil imports (~13 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (~65 Crore Kg), which is equivalent to the plantation of 2.60 crore trees.