New Delhi

The 109th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) was held at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to evaluate key infrastructure proposals aimed at enhancing multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said on Tuesday.

The meeting assessed projects in the railways, metro rail and aviation sectors for their alignment with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, focusing on integrated infrastructure planning, last-mile connectivity to economic and social nodes, and a ‘whole-of-government’ approach.

Rail projects

The Ministry of Railways proposed two major capacity augmentation projects. The first involves construction of a third railway line between Jalandhar Cantt and Jammu Tawi, spanning 210.75 km across Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. The alignment will cover 27 stations and pass through districts such as Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Kangra, Pathankot, Kathua and Samba. The project is expected to significantly strengthen rail capacity along a strategically critical corridor, with benefits for national security, trade and regional mobility.

The second proposal is a third railway line between Manikpur and Itarsi, covering 518.53 km across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Traversing districts including Chitrakoot, Satna, Maihar, Katni, Jabalpur, Narsinghpur and Narmadapuram, the project aims to ease congestion, improve operational resilience and support growing passenger and freight demand along a vital north–central India corridor.

Airport project

The Ministry of Civil Aviation proposed the development of a greenfield airport at Doloo near Silchar in Assam, adjacent to NH-27. The airport is intended to address capacity constraints of the existing civil enclave and cater to rising air traffic demand in the region. Once operational, it is expected to act as a catalyst for socio-economic development in Cachar district by boosting trade, tourism and allied sectors.

Metro project

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs proposed an extension of Surat Metro Corridor II (Phase I) from Saroli to the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor in Gujarat. The 4.4-km elevated extension, comprising three stations with provision for two more, is designed to function as a dedicated feeder to the high-speed rail network, enhancing last-mile connectivity and promoting seamless modal integration.

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According to the ministry, the projects reviewed by the NPG are expected to reduce travel time, improve logistics efficiency and deliver significant socio-economic benefits to their respective regions.