Key Rail Projects In Southern India Get Final Push To Link Major Ports Under Gati Shakti Initiative

The Centre's Network Planning Group (NPG) met on Monday (18 November) to review critical railway infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing freight capacity, connectivity, and regional economic integration.

Key projects under evaluation included the Ballari-Chikjajur Doubling, Hosur-Omalur Doubling, and Secunderabad-Wadi Quadrupling, each expected to play a pivotal role in India's multimodal logistics network.

The 185 km Ballari-Chikjajur Doubling project, spanning Karnataka's Ballari and Chitradurga districts and Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district, aims to streamline the transportation of iron ore, coal, cement, and food grains.

An official statement highlighted its potential to bolster industrial hubs like Jindal Steel, which plans to expand production to 24 MTPA.

The project is poised to attract investments, promote socio-economic development in remote areas, and create employment opportunities during construction and operation. By reducing transportation costs, it aligns with India’s vision of fostering integrated logistics.

The 147 km Hosur-Omalur rail line doubling project focuses on linking the agro-industrial region of Hosur with the commercial hub of Salem in Tamil Nadu, reports Economic Times.

Designed to support sectors like cement manufacturing, agro-processing, and automobile logistics, the route will strengthen connections with Bangalore's electronics and IT corridor.

The project is expected to alleviate capacity constraints, improve freight movement, and support tourism while linking industrial hubs like the Salem Steel Plant and TNPL to major urban centres. Enhanced multimodal connectivity to Bangalore and Salem airports is also anticipated.

The 173.18 km Secunderabad-Wadi Quadrupling project proposes the construction of 3rd and 4th lines along this heavily utilised corridor in South Central India. Serving key industrial hubs like Tandur (cement) and Nagulapalli (steel), it will facilitate coal, cement, and food grain transport.

With utilization levels exceeding 114 per cent, the project aims to ease congestion, improve reliability, and accommodate growing freight demand. By connecting Telangana and Karnataka’s industrial regions to major ports and urban centres, it will reduce transit delays and align with PM GatiShakti's principles of integrated infrastructure development.

Chaired by Rajeev Singh Thakur, Additional Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the NPG meeting underscored the transformative potential of these projects.

Collectively, they are expected to lower transportation costs, strengthen economic linkages, and improve passenger convenience, fostering regional growth and supporting India's logistics and industrial ambitions.