NEW DELHI: Cabinet committee on economic affairs Friday approved eight new rail line projects across seven states, including Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar and Andhra, with an estimated cost of Rs 24,657 crore to provide connectivity, facilitate ease of travelling, minimise logistical costs, reduce oil imports and cut carbon footprint. One of the projects will provide rail connectivity to Ajanta Caves, a Unesco World Heritage site and is expected to boost tourism.
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the projects will improve logistical efficiency by connecting unconnected areas and enhancing transportation networks, resulting in streamlined supply chains and accelerated economic growth. The projects will be completed by 2030-31. Four of the approved projects fall only in Odisha.
The projects will cover 14 districts in Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana and Bengal, and will increase existing network of Indian Railways by 900 km. “A total of 64 new stations will be constructed, providing enhanced connectivity to six districts of East Singhbum, Bhadadri, Kothagudem, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Rayagada, approximately 510 villages and about 40 lakh population,” the govt stated.
The projects will cover essential routes for transportation of commodities such as agriculture products, fertiliser, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, bauxite, limestone, aluminium powder, granite, ballast and containers.
Vaishnaw said after the completion of the projects, railways will get additional freight traffic of more than 140 million tonne per year. Over 767 crore kg of CO2 savings will take place as mineral loading switches over to railways from existing systems.
The minister said a new rail corridor parallel to the eastern coast, which was initially proposed under Dedicated Freight Corridor, will cover Warangal, Bhadrachalam, Titagarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Tata & Asansol. This corridor will cover seven states of the East.
“Tribal areas of Odisha will benefit majorly through the projects,” Vaishnaw said.
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the projects will improve logistical efficiency by connecting unconnected areas and enhancing transportation networks, resulting in streamlined supply chains and accelerated economic growth. The projects will be completed by 2030-31. Four of the approved projects fall only in Odisha.
The projects will cover 14 districts in Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana and Bengal, and will increase existing network of Indian Railways by 900 km. “A total of 64 new stations will be constructed, providing enhanced connectivity to six districts of East Singhbum, Bhadadri, Kothagudem, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Rayagada, approximately 510 villages and about 40 lakh population,” the govt stated.
The projects will cover essential routes for transportation of commodities such as agriculture products, fertiliser, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, bauxite, limestone, aluminium powder, granite, ballast and containers.
Vaishnaw said after the completion of the projects, railways will get additional freight traffic of more than 140 million tonne per year. Over 767 crore kg of CO2 savings will take place as mineral loading switches over to railways from existing systems.
The minister said a new rail corridor parallel to the eastern coast, which was initially proposed under Dedicated Freight Corridor, will cover Warangal, Bhadrachalam, Titagarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Tata & Asansol. This corridor will cover seven states of the East.
“Tribal areas of Odisha will benefit majorly through the projects,” Vaishnaw said.