NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday approved two key transport infrastructure projects including one for doubling the Tirupati-Pakala-Katpadi single railway line (104 km) in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and another relating to the construction of a six-lane access-controlled Zirakpur bypass with a length of 19.2 km in Punjab and Haryana on ‘hybrid annuity mode’.
Besides the two infra projects, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at it meeting also approved the ‘Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for the period 2025-2026 with an initial total outlay of Rs 1,600 crore
Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw, while briefing media after the meeting of the Union Cabinet, said, the Tirupati-Pakala-Katpadi railway line project would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs 1,332 crore and it aims to enhance connectivity, improve mobility, and promote sustainable development in the southern states.
The Minister said, project spans three districts in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and will extend the Indian Railways network by approximately 113 kilometers. “The enhanced connectivity will benefit both religious and tourist traffic, as the line connects Tirupati, home to the famous Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, which attracts around 75,000 pilgrims daily, with a footfall of up to 1.5 lakh on special occasions. The line also provides access to other significant destinations, including Sri Kalahasti Shiva Temple, Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple, and Chandragiri Fort,” he said.
Vaishnaw said, as part of the capacity expansion, the project “is expected to facilitate additional freight traffic of 4 million tonnes per annum (MTPA)’and also contribute to India’s climate goals by reducing oil imports by 4 crore litres and lowering CO2 emissions by 20 crore kilograms annually. This reduction in emissions is equivalent to planting one crore trees, further supporting the country’s environmental objectives, he added.
Meanwhile, the 6-lane Zirakpur Bypass starting from Junction with NH-7 (Zirakpur-Patiala) and ending at Junction with NH-5 (Zirakpur-Parwanoo) with a total length 19.2 km in State of Punjab and Haryana will cost approximately Rs 1,878 crore, the Minister said.
The project is aimed at easing the congestion in Zirakpur, Panchkula and surrounding areas by diverting traffic from Patiala, Delhi, Mohali Aerocity and providing direct connectivity to Himachal Pradesh. The current proposal aims at reducing the travel time and ensuring hassle-free traffic movement in the congested urban section of NH-7, NH-5 and NH-152, Vaishnaw noted.
As part third decision with regard to irrigation facility, the government plans to set up water supply infrastructure from existing canals and other sources to a designated cluster, the Minister said, adding that it would build robust backend structure for micro-irrigation by farmers from established source to farm gate up to 1 Ha with underground pressurised piped irrigation.
“The projects will be made sustainable by Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) to the Water User Society (WUS) for management of irrigation assets. The Water User Societies will be given handholding support for linking them with existing economic entities like Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) and the Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) for five years. The youth will also be attracted to farming, to adopt the modern method of irrigation,” the government later said in a statement.
Vaishnaw informed that the initial approval “is for taking up 78 pilot projects across various agro-climatic zones in the country.” Based on the learning in design and structuring of these projects, the National Plan for Command Area Development and Water Management will be launched starting from April 2026 for the 16th Finance Commission period, he added.