Patna: India’s federal cabinet has approved three railway multitracking projects spanning four states, in a move the government says will expand capacity, ease congestion and improve freight movement across key industrial and rural corridors.
The schemes, cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, will cost an estimated Rs 9,072 crore (£870m) and add about 307km of track to the Indian Railways network.
The projects include doubling the Gondia–Jabalpur line and adding third and fourth lines on the Punarakh–Kiul and Gamharia–Chandil sections. Together, they cover eight districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
According to the government, the upgrades are expected to enhance connectivity for around 5,407 villages with a combined population of roughly 9.8 million people. Officials said the additional lines would increase route capacity, improve operational efficiency and reduce delays on some of the country’s busiest freight and passenger corridors.
The railway ministry said the schemes have been planned under the PM Gati Shakti national master plan, which aims to integrate transport and logistics infrastructure through coordinated planning. The government argues that expanded rail capacity will support regional economic development and generate employment and self-employment opportunities.
Several tourist destinations lie along the upgraded routes, including the Kachnar Shiv temple in Jabalpur, Kanha and Pench national parks in Madhya Pradesh, and the Dalma wildlife sanctuary in Jharkhand. Improved rail links are expected to facilitate visitor access to these areas.
The corridors are also key for transporting bulk commodities such as coal, steel, iron ore, cement, fertilisers and foodgrains. The capacity expansion is projected to enable additional freight movement of about 52m tonnes per year.
Railway officials said the shift to higher rail freight volumes could reduce logistics costs and cut oil imports by an estimated 60m litres annually, while lowering carbon dioxide emissions by around 300m kg – which the government equates to the environmental benefit of planting 10m trees.
The projects form part of a broader push to modernise India’s rail infrastructure as demand for passenger travel and freight transport continues to grow.
