Cabinet clears 4 railway multitracking projects worth Rs 9,450 crore across 4 states

20/08/2026

NEW DELHI, Aug 19: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved four multitracking projects of the Ministry of Railways with a total estimated cost of around Rs 9,450 crore, aimed at enhancing rail capacity, easing congestion and improving connectivity across West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the decisions after the Cabinet meeting, saying the projects would add about 410 km to the existing Indian Railways network and significantly improve the movement of passengers and freight.
The approved projects include the 173-km fourth line between Kharagpur and Bhadrak (Ranital) in West Bengal and Odisha; the 75-km fourth line between Bhadrak and Haridaspur in Odisha; the 90-km third and fourth lines between Gummidipundi and Gudur in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu; and the 72-km third and fourth lines between Cuttack and Paradeep (Badabandha) in Odisha.
The projects are scheduled for completion by 2030-31 and will cover eight districts across the four states.
According to the government, the additional lines will improve operational efficiency and service reliability while helping streamline train operations and reduce congestion on some of the important railway routes.
The minister said the projects have been planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, with an emphasis on integrated planning, multimodal connectivity and improved logistics efficiency. The enhanced railway infrastructure is expected to facilitate the seamless movement of people, goods and services and strengthen economic activity in the regions covered by the projects.
The four projects are expected to improve connectivity to around 6,448 villages with a combined population of nearly 60 lakh people.
The minister also said the improved rail network would also contribute to comprehensive regional development and create greater opportunities for employment and self-employment.
The enhanced connectivity will benefit access to a number of tourist and religious destinations, including Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhitarkanika National Park, Maa Bhadrakali Temple, Maa Dhamarai Temple, Panchalingeswar Temple, Talsari-Udaypur and Chandipur beaches, Pulicat Lake, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, Lord Veeraraghava Perumal Temple, Gada Kujanga Jagannath Temple, Sarala Temple, Dhabaleswar Temple and Lalitgiri, an important Buddhist site.
The projects also cover strategically important freight routes carrying commodities such as coal, iron ore, cement, iron and steel, containers, automobiles and foodgrains. The capacity augmentation is expected to facilitate an additional freight movement of around 76 million tonnes per annum.
The minister further said that the shift of additional freight traffic to rail would also have environmental and economic benefits. Indian Railways, being a comparatively energy-efficient and environment-friendly mode of transport, is expected to help reduce logistics costs and oil consumption while contributing to the country's climate goals.
According to the government estimates, the projects could help reduce oil imports by around 13 crore litres and lower carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 65 crore kg. The reduction in emissions, it said, would be equivalent to the environmental benefit of planting around 2.60 crore trees.
The minister added that the projects are part of its broader effort to expand railway capacity and strengthen infrastructure in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed and self-reliant India. The enhanced connectivity is expected to support industrial activity, facilitate the movement of essential commodities and provide better access to markets and services for people living in the covered districts.
With the four projects, the government expects railway infrastructure in the eastern and southern regions to gain additional capacity while addressing bottlenecks on routes that are important for both passenger mobility and freight transportation.

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