Cabinet approves eight new rail line projects covering 14 districts in 7 states

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved eight railway projects with total estimated cost of Rs 24,657 crore, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday.

The new line proposals will provide direct connectivity and improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for the Indian Railways, Vaishnaw said in a press briefing.

A government press release, providing details of these projects, said the eight projects covering 14 districts in seven states, namely Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana and West Bengal, will increase the existing network of the Indian Railways by 900 kms.

"With these projects 64 New Stations will be constructed, providing enhancing connectivity to Six (6) Aspirational Districts (East Singhbum, Bhadadri Kothagudem, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Rayagada), approx. 510 villages and about 40 lakh population," the release said.

"Ajanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site will be connected to Indian Railway Network facilitating large number of tourists," the release added.

According to the government, these are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as agriculture products, fertilizer, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, bauxite, limestone, aluminium powder, granite, ballast, containers etc.

Highlighting the benefits to freight operations, the release said, "The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 143 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum)." "The Railways being environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimizing logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (32.20 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (0.87 Million Tonnes) which is equivalent to plantation of 3.5 crore trees," it added.

Four out of these eight railway lines, Gunupur-Therubali (New Line), Junagarh-Nabrangpur, Badampahar – Kandujhargarh and Bangriposi – Gorumahisani are in Odisha while one, ie, Malkangiri – Pandurangapuram (via Bhadrachalam) spreads in three states Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The Railway line between Buramara and Chakulia covers Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.

Two other new lines Jalna – Jalgaon and Bikramshila – Katareah are in Maharashtra and Bihar, respectively.