Cabinet approves Ratlam-Nagda and Wardha-Balharshah multi-tracking railway projects

The total estimated cost of the projects is Rs 3,399 crore and will be completed by 2029-30. (Representational image)

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved two multi-tracking railway projects to facilitate faster transportation of both passengers and goods. The government said that these projects include the third and fourth line between Ratlam-Nagda and fourth line between Wardha-Balharshah.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that these two projects will give a boost to infrastructure in the country in the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Chennai economic corridors and help remove traffic bottlenecks on these routes.

As per the official release, the total estimated cost of the projects is Rs 3,399 crore and will be completed by 2029-30.

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The press note said, “The projects are result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which have been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.”

“The two projects covering four districts across the states of Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 176 km. The proposed multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approx 784 villages having a population of about 19.74 lakh,” it added.
The railways minister added that during the third term of the Modi government, projects worth more than Rs 4.5 lakh crore have been approved in the transport and infrastructure sector in the country.

The government said that these are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as coal, cement, clinker, gypsum, fly ash, containers, agriculture commodities, and petroleum products etc, hence the capacity augmentation work will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 18.40 MTPA (million tonnes per annum).

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Outlining the environmental benefits, it said that the railways, being environment-friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation, will help in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics cost, reduce oil import (20 crore litres) and lower CO2 emissions (99 crore kg) which is equivalent to plantation of 4 crore trees.

“The projects will also generate direct employment for about 74 lakh human-days during construction. These initiatives will improve travel convenience, reduce logistic cost, decrease oil imports and contribute to lower CO2 emissions, supporting sustainable and efficient rail operations,” the government said.

“The projects would also enhance logistical efficiency by augmenting line capacity along critical routes for transportation of containers, coal, cement, agricultural commodities, and other goods. These improvements are expected to optimise supply chains, thereby facilitating accelerated economic growth,” it added.

Talking about other benefits, the press statement said that the increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for railways.

“These multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion,” the press note said.