The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, approved four railway projects worth ₹24,634 crore. The projects will add about 894 kilometres to the existing Indian Railways network.
The projects will cover 18 districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh. They are expected to provide rail connectivity to approximately 3,633 villages with a population of about 85.84 lakh and two Aspirational Districts – Vidisha and Rajnandgaon.
The routes also provide access to destinations including Sanchi, Satpura Tiger Reserve, Bhimbetka rock shelters, Hazara Falls, and Nawegaon National Park.
Project details and connectivity
The approved projects include:
• Wardha–Bhusawal: 3rd and 4th line, 314 km (Maharashtra)
• Gondia–Dongargarh: 4th line, 84 km (Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh)
• Vadodara–Ratlam: 3rd and 4th line, 259 km (Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh)
• Itarsi–Bhopal–Bina: 4th line, 237 km (Madhya Pradesh)
Improved operational efficiency
The projects aim to increase line capacity, improve operational efficiency, and reduce congestion on key routes. They are expected to support the movement of commodities such as coal, containers, cement, fly ash, food grains, and steel, generating an additional 78 million tonnes of freight traffic per annum.
Railways will help reduce oil imports by 28 crore litres and lower CO₂ emissions by 139 crore kg, equivalent to the plantation of six crore trees. The projects are part of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, designed to enhance multimodal connectivity and logistic efficiency through integrated planning.