Govt greenlights 2 railway projects worth Rs 3,907 crore for Odisha and Jharkhand
New Delhi, July 15
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved two multi-tracking railway projects worth Rs 3,907 crore, covering four districts across Odisha and Jharkhand, increasing the existing network of Indian Railways by about 145 kms.
The CCEA, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways.
The proposed multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to nearly 1,526 villages with a population of nearly 14 lakh. The proposed capacity enhancement will improve rail connectivity to several prominent tourist destinations across the country, including Lalitgiri Buddhist Complex, Shree Baladevjew Temple, and Meghahatuburu Hills, etc.
According to a Cabinet communique, the projects are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as coal, iron ore, dolomite, limestone and gypsum, etc.
The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of the magnitude of 44 MTPA (million tonnes per annum).
"The Railways being an environment-friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (6 crore litres) and lower CO2 emissions (29 crore kg) which is equivalent to plantation of 1 crore trees," the communique added.
These multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion.
"The projects are in line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modiji's Vision of a New India which will make people of the region 'Atmanirbhar' by way of comprehensive development in the area which will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities," it added.
Planned under the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the projects will focus on enhancing multi-modal connectivity and logistic efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations.
These projects will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods, and services, said the Cabinet.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The connectivity to tourist destinations like Lalitgiri Buddhist Complex and Baladevjew Temple is a smart move. These places have so much potential but lack proper transport links. However, I hope they also focus on passenger amenities and safety on these routes. Arthik vikas ke saath saath logon ki suvidha bhi important hai.
Rs 3,907 crore for 145 km works out to about Rs 270 crore per km which seems quite high. I know railway projects have land acquisition and other costs but we need to ensure transparency in such big ticket infrastructure spends. Still, the long-term benefits to the region will be significant.
As someone from Odisha, I'm very happy about this announcement. Our state has been neglected in terms of railway development for decades. This will help in transportation of minerals like iron ore and coal which is the backbone of our economy. And 14 lakh villagers getting better connectivity is a big deal! Jai Jagannath!
PM-Gati Shakti ka vision sahi hai - multi-modal connectivity will reduce logistics costs significantly. But I wish these announcements also came with clear timelines for completion. Many railway projects in the past have seen delays. Hope the execution is as good as the planning.
The environmental angle is interesting - reducing oil import by 6 crore litres is no small feat. Railways are indeed the most eco-friendly mode of bulk transport. But the real test will be whether these new lines lead to better passenger train frequency or just end up being freight corridors. Common people also want better train services!
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