New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi, has given the green light to four railway projects with a combined cost of Rs 12,328 crore, marking a significant push in India’s infrastructure and logistics network.
The projects include the construction of the Deshalpar–Hajipir–Luna and Vayor–Lakhpat new lines in Gujarat; the Secunderabad (Sanathnagar)–Wadi third and fourth lines across Karnataka and Telangana; the Bhagalpur–Jamalpur third line in Bihar; and the doubling of the Furkating–New Tinsukia section in Assam. Together, these initiatives will add nearly 565 km to the Indian Railways network.
The Gujarat line alone, costing Rs 2,526 crore, will connect the remote Kutch region with 13 new stations, benefitting 866 villages and 16 lakh people. It will also provide rail access to key cultural and tourist sites such as Dholavira, Koteshwar temple and Lakhpat fort, while supporting industries including salt, cement and coal.
In Bihar, the Rs 1,156 crore Bhagalpur–Jamalpur line will ease congestion and improve regional connectivity within three years. The Rs 5,012 crore multi-tracking project between Secunderabad and Wadi, spread across Telangana and Karnataka, is expected to be completed in five years and benefit more than 3,000 villages, including the aspirational district of Kalaburagi. In Assam, the Rs 3,634 crore Furkating–New Tinsukia doubling will cover 194 km and is scheduled for completion in four years.
Railway officials said the projects will handle an additional 68 million tonnes of freight annually, with significant implications for commodities like coal, steel, cement, agricultural produce and petroleum products. The ministry has projected a reduction of 56 crore litres of oil imports and 360 crore kg of carbon dioxide emissions – equivalent to planting 14 crore trees.
The cabinet said the projects would generate 251 lakh man-days of employment during construction and are aligned with the PM Gati Shakti plan to improve multi-modal connectivity. Officials added that beyond easing passenger travel, the expanded capacity would lower logistics costs, strengthen supply chains and support the government’s climate commitments.
