The Union Cabinet has approved three railway multitracking projects covering Odisha and four other states, with the Kharagpur-Jharsuguda section among the key projects aimed at expanding rail capacity and improving connectivity, official sources said on Wednesday. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the three projects with a combined estimated cost of Rs 10,783 crore. The projects are targeted for completion by 2029-30 and will add around 656 km to the Indian Railways network. For Odisha, the Kharagpur-Jharsuguda (Bagdehi) 4th Line is particularly significant as it will augment capacity on an important rail route connecting the State with neighbouring regions. The overall projects cover 14 districts across West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. According to the Central government, the key projects will improve operational efficiency, reduce congestion and facilitate smoother movement of passengers and freight. They are being planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan to strengthen multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency. The enhanced network is expected to improve connectivity to around 4,790 villages with a combined population of nearly 56 lakh. Several tourist destinations, including Taratarini Temple and Srikshetra Jagannath Temple near Jharsuguda, are also expected to benefit from improved rail connectivity. The projects are expected to facilitate an additional 27 million tonnes of freight traffic annually, particularly coal, cement, iron and steel. The government also estimates reduced oil consumption and lower carbon emissions following the capacity expansion. “After completion, these projects will help reduce the country’s logistics costs. We always emphasised making our industries competitive, and for that we need to reduce the cost of logistics in our country. Railways are the primary way by which we can at least reduce the logistics cost,” Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, said. “Transporting by railways costs almost half compared to transporting by highways. And it is 90% more environment-friendly compared to the road sector. That is why it is extremely important that if we want to meet our environmental goals and simultaneously reduce the country’s logistics costs, we must invest more and more in railways. This is the very mission that our Prime Minister has undertaken,” the Union Minister added.
This is a summary. For the full story, refer to the original source. Public of India presents verified citizen-relevant reporting.