CCEA Approves 2 Railway Projects Collectively Worth Rs. 6,798 Cr.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), led by the Indian Prime Minister, has cleared two railway projects which together amount to about Rs. 6,798 crore. This information was shared by the CCEA via a PIB release dated 24th October 2024.
Both these projects are expected to be completed in a period of 5 years. During their execution, these projects together are expected to create an employment of 106 lakh human-days.
Specifics of the Approved Railway Projects
Passenger & Freight Connectivity to North-East, Border Areas & Nepal to be Enhanced
One of the two projects approved by the CCEA includes the doubling of Narkatiaganj-Raxaul-Sitamarhi-Darbhanga & Sitamarhi-Muzaffarpur Section. Targeted at improving passenger and freight connectivity to the North-East, Nepal and other border areas, this Rs. 4,553 crore project will involve doubling of 256 Km of railway lines.
As per CCEA, this project will “…ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-required infrastructural development”.
These projects will aid in socio-economic growth of the region as well. Population in West Champaran (where Narkatiaganj is situated), East Champaran (where Raxaul is located), Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, and Muzzafarpur districts is primarily agrarian with low per capita incomes. In fact, Sitamarhi and Muzzafarpur have been classified as ‘Aspirational Districts’, under Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) which was launched by the Indian PM in 2018 for 112 of India’s most under-developed districts. The aforementioned railway project will enhance passenger and goods connectivity to these districts “…serving approx. 388 villages and about 9 lakh population”.
While speaking about this project, Mr. Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Railway Minister, said, “This complete corridor will become a major transport corridor along the border of India and Nepal. People of North Bihar and Mithilanchal will get good rail connectivity”.
New Railway Line in Telangana & Andhra to Provide Direct Connectivity to Amaravati
Apart from the railway project in Bihar, CCEA has cleared a Rs. 2,245 crore project which entails laying down a new line from Errupalem in Telangana to Namburu in Andhra Pradesh. This line will pass through Amaravati in Andhra, thereby providing direct connectivity to the state’s capital. This project seeks to “…improve mobility for industries and the population”.
Errupalem-Amaravati-Namburu line will be 57 Km in length, and will connect 168 villages in the region which collectively have a population of about 12 lakh.
Approved Projects to Add 31 MMTPA of Freight Traffic Handling Capability
Together, the aforementioned projects are anticipated to augment Indian Railways’ network by 313 Km, and its freight carrying capacity by 31 Million Metric Tonne Per Annum (MMTPA). Therefore, these projects will aid Indian Railways’ 2030 target of having 3,000 MMTPA of freight loading.
As per CCEA’s release, the aforementioned routes are capital for the transportation of minerals such as Coal, Iron ore, Steel, and agricultural products and raw materials such as fertilisers and more. “The projects are result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan”, added the release.
