Moving Freight Faster: Cabinet Clears Rs 24,634 Crore Rail Multi-Tracking Projects Across Four States

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved four major railway multi-tracking projects worth around Rs 24,634 crore extending the Indian Railways network by nearly 894 km across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh.

The projects sanctioned include:

1. Wardha – Bhusawal (Maharashtra): 3rd and 4th line, 314 km

2. Gondia – Dongargarh (Maharashtra & Chhattisgarh): 4th line, 84 km

3. Vadodara – Ratlam (Gujarat & Madhya Pradesh): 3rd and 4th line, 259 km

4. Itarsi – Bhopal – Bina (Madhya Pradesh): 4th line, 237 km

These works will cover 18 districts, benefiting approximately 3,633 villages with a combined population of over 85 lakh, the government release stated.

Planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the projects are designed to boost multi-modal connectivity and logistics efficiency through integrated planning.

Government also emphasised that the expansion would not only serve commuters and industry but also provide direct access to prominent destinations such as Sanchi, Satpura Tiger Reserve, the Bhimbetka rock shelters, Hazara Falls, and Nawegaon National Park, strenghthening regional tourism.

The upgraded lines will be vital for freight traffic, particularly for coal, cement, containers, steel, food grains, fly ash and other commodities. The capacity expansion is projected to handle an additional 78 million tonnes of freight annually.

The Railways highlighted the environmental gains of this development, noting that the projects will reduce oil imports by 28 crore litres and lower CO₂ emissions by 139 crore kilograms, equivalent to planting six crore trees.

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