Rishikesh Bypass In Uttarakhand, Major Rail Projects In MP And Maharashtra Reviewed By NPG Under PM GatiShakti—All About It

The Network Planning Group (NPG), under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, assessed four major infrastructure proposals — one from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and three from the Ministry of Railways (MoR), during its 92th meeting on Tuesday (29 April).

These projects, including the Rishikesh Bypass in Uttarakhand, the Bina–Itarsi fourth railway line in Madhya Pradesh, were evaluated for their alignment with the core principles of PM GatiShakti, including integrated multimodal infrastructure, last-mile connectivity, and a whole-of-government and whole-of-area development approach.

These initiatives are expected to reduce travel time, enhance freight movement, and yield significant socio-economic gains across regions.

Rishikesh Bypass (Uttarakhand)

Proposed by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) through National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), this six/four-lane access-controlled bypass is expected to decongest traffic in Rishikesh and streamline vehicular movement along NH-34.

The route connects key urban and religious hubs like Delhi, Haridwar, and Badrinath while serving industrial nodes such as Dehradun, SIDCUL, and BHEL.

It also provides strategic connectivity to key border points including Mana, Nelang, and Niti.

"The project includes a 6/4-lane elevated corridor and an additional 4-lane road, offering alternative routes to manage future traffic and improve overall capacity," the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement.

Bina–Itarsi fourth Railway Line (Madhya Pradesh)

The Ministry of Railways has proposed a 236.97 km fourth railway line between Bina and Itarsi, traversing key stations such as Narmadapuram, Rani Kamalapati, Bhopal, Nishatpura, and Vidisha.

This alignment includes 32 stations and aims to improve freight operations.

The project is expected to reduce transit time by approximately 46 minutes and increase sectional speed by 10 kmph, contributing to faster and more efficient rail logistics.

Kasara–Manmad Third & Fourth Railway Lines (Maharashtra)

This project involves construction of third and fourth railway lines across two sections: Kasara–Igatpuri in the Northeastern Ghats and Igatpuri–Manmad in the Deccan Plateau.

The primary aim is to maintain a ruling gradient of 1 in 100, eliminating the requirement for banking engines and improving energy efficiency.

The alignment bypasses several stations and merges with the existing line at Lahavit station, ensuring smoother freight movement.

Bhusawal–Wardha Third and Fourth Railway Lines (Maharashtra)

Spanning 314 km across five Maharashtra districts — Jalgaon, Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, and Wardha, the proposed third and fourth railway lines between Bhusawal and Wardha includes new railway tracks, station upgrades, yard reconfiguration, and signaling improvements.

As part of the Mumbai–Howrah high-density corridor (HDN-2), this route is critical for decongesting freight traffic and strengthening the Central Railway network.

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