- 656 km additional capacity planned across five states
- New lines to strengthen coal, iron, steel, cement logistics
India’s railway network is set for a major capacity expansion, with the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approving three railway projects worth INR 10,783 crore across key industrial and mineral-producing regions.
The projects, targeted for completion by 2029-30, will add around 656 km to the existing railway network across West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
The approved works include the Kharagpur-Jharsuguda (Bagdihi) 4th line, Katni-Pendra Road 4th line, and Belaur-Dhanbad 3rd line. The additional tracks are expected to ease congestion on these routes and allow smoother movement of both passenger and freight trains.
With several of the routes passing through important industrial and mineral-producing areas, the capacity addition is expected to strengthen the movement of bulk commodities.
“From a freight perspective, the projects are important as the proposed lines will provide additional capacity for transporting coal, cement, iron, steel and other commodities,” the press note said.
The additional railway capacity is also expected to improve railway connectivity, operational efficiency, and service reliability while helping address congestion. The three projects will cover 14 districts and improve connectivity to around 4,790 villages, with a population of approximately 5.6 million.
The expansion is also aligned with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, with the government focusing on better multimodal connectivity and improved logistics efficiency.
Beyond freight movement, the projects are expected to support a greater shift towards rail transportation. The government estimates that the additional capacity could help reduce oil imports by around 1.2 billion litres and cut carbon dioxide emissions by around 6.2 million tonnes.
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