India’s First Under-River Road Tunnel, Rajkot Metro Among Key Projects Reviewed By NPG Under PM GatiShakti—What You Need To Know

The 89th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG), chaired by DPIIT Joint Secretary Pankaj Kumar was held on Friday (14 March) to evaluate infrastructure projects in the Road, Railway, and Metro sectors.

The meeting focused on enhancing multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency in alignment with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS NMP).

A total of eight projects were reviewed during the meeting, including four road projects, three railway projects, and one metro rail project.

These initiatives are expected to streamline transportation, reduce travel time, and support economic growth across regions.

Key Road Projects Reviewed

Among the road sector proposals, the NPG evaluated:

• Darugiri-Dalu Road Expansion (Meghalaya): The project involves the development of the existing road into a two-lane highway with a paved shoulder along the Darugiri to Dalu section of NH-62 (New NH-217) in Meghalaya.

  This 136.11 km-long stretch passes through East Garo Hills, South Garo Hills, and West Garo Hills, significantly enhancing regional connectivity.

  Given its strategic location, this corridor is essential for facilitating cross-border trade and regional economic development.

• Brahmaputra River Road Tunnel (Assam): The project involves the construction of India's first-ever road tunnel beneath a major river.

  The four-lane tunnel under the Brahmaputra will reduce travel time from 6.5 hours to just 30 minutes, shortening the distance from 240 km to 34 km.

  This twin-tube, unidirectional underwater tunnel will enhance connectivity to Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and other northeastern states.

• Kaliabor-Numaligarh Highway Upgrade (Assam): This project aims to upgrade the existing highway from two lanes to four lanes along the Kaliabor-Numaligarh section (NH-37/NH-715) in Assam.

  Covering 85.67 km across Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, and Golaghat districts, the project incorporates wildlife-friendly measures such as an elevated corridor and wildlife crossings to protect Kaziranga National Park’s biodiversity.

• Mayjilar-Jaisalmer Highway Project (Rajasthan): Spanning 138.177 km, this project in Rajasthan includes brownfield and greenfield stretches along NH-11 and NH-70.

  It aims to improve regional connectivity, boost tourism, facilitate defense movement, and enhance road safety.

Railway Projects Reviewed

The railway sector saw the evaluation of:

• Badlapur-Karjat Railway Expansion (Maharashtra): The 32.460 km-long brownfield project addresses increasing passenger and freight congestion along the Mumbai-Pune-Solapur-Wadi-Chennai corridor.

  Enhancing connectivity between key commuter hubs and freight transit points, this project will benefit towns including Badlapur, Vangani, Shelu, Neral, Bhivpuri, and Karjat.

• Nergundi-Cuttack Fourth Railway Line (Odisha): The 15.99 km-long brownfield railway infrastructure project in Odisha aims to decongest existing rail lines, facilitate freight movement, and ensure smoother operations along a key corridor serving Paradip Port, Talcher coalfields, and major steel and power industries.

• Haridaspur-Paradip Railway Doubling (Odisha): The 74.09 km-long brownfield project in Odisha will enhance freight transportation capacity and logistics efficiency, facilitating seamless coal transportation from Talcher Coalfields to Paradip Port while supporting industrial expansion in the Angul-Jharsuguda cluster.

Metro Rail Project Evaluated

• Rajkot Metro (Gujarat): The Rajkot Metro Project is a greenfield urban transport initiative aimed at reducing congestion and providing a sustainable mode of transport in Rajkot, Gujarat.

  Covering 41.11 km, the project integrates seamlessly with existing urban infrastructure, ensuring multimodal connectivity with regional rail, city bus services, and intermediate public transport such as autos and cycle rickshaws.

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