New Tracks, New Opportunities: ₹18,658 Crore Rail Investment.

The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has greenlit four major railway multitracking projects worth Rs 18,658 crore across Maharashtra, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh. These projects will enhance approximately 1,247 km of railway infrastructure, focusing on reducing logistics costs, boosting freight capacity, and fostering regional industrial development.

The largest allocation of Rs 8,741 crore will go to Chhattisgarh for the creation of a 615 km railway line stretching from Kharsia to Naya Raipur and Parmalkasa. This new line will provide direct connectivity to areas like Baloda Bazar, facilitating the establishment of new industrial hubs, including cement factories.

In Maharashtra, Rs 4,819 crore has been approved for the doubling of the Gondia-Balharshah railway route, while Odisha will receive Rs 3,917 crore for a 277 km project aimed at adding third and fourth lines between Sambalpur and Jarapada. A further investment in Odisha involves adding third and fourth lines on the Jharsuguda-Sason section. These combined initiatives are expected to create approximately 379 lakh human-days of direct employment during the construction phase.

Additionally, 19 new stations will be built as part of the development, improving accessibility to around 3,350 villages and benefiting 47.25 lakh people. Once completed, the upgraded rail infrastructure will have the capacity to handle an additional 88.77 million tonnes of freight annually. Environmental benefits include a reduction in oil imports by 95 crore litres and a decrease in CO2 emissions by 477 crore kg, which is equivalent to planting 19 crore trees.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.