NEW DELHI: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved four major railway multi-tracking projects worth Rs 24,634 crore, spanning nearly 900 km across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh.The projects are expected to be completed by 2030-31 and are designed to ease congestion, boost freight capacity, and enhance connectivity across 18 districts in these states.
The decision is seen as major infrastructure push under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, aimed at integrating rail development with multi-modal connectivity and improving logistical efficiency. The government expects the additional rail capacity to bring wide-ranging economic and environmental benefits.
Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the new projects would significantly enhance Indian Railways' operational efficiency and reliability.
“The increased line capacity will significantly improve mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways,” he said.
The four projects include construction of third and fourth rail lines between Wardha and Bhusawal (314 route km) in Maharashtra, fourth line between Gondia and Dongargarh (84 km), cutting across Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, two lines between Vadodara and Ratlam (259 km), spanning Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and one between Itarsi, Bhopal, and Bina (237 km) in Madhya Pradesh.
Together, the projects will expand the Indian Railways network by approximately 894 route kilometres and are expected to ease movement along high-density corridors. The rail corridors covered are crucial for both passenger and freight movement and will reduce delays caused by capacity constraints.
The Railway Minister said that the four projects will improve connectivity to 3,633 villages with a total population of about 85.84 lakh, including two Aspirational Districts—Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh and Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh.
“These infrastructure upgrades are aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of a self-reliant India (‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’) and are expected to create significant employment and self-employment opportunities in the region,” Vaishnaw added. The projects will also facilitate access to key tourism and heritage sites such as Sanchi, Satpura Tiger Reserve, Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, Hazara Falls, and Navegaon National Park—all important destinations that currently face logistical bottlenecks.
The newly sanctioned lines are projected to handle additional freight traffic of 78 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), including key commodities like coal, cement, fly ash, steel, food grains, and containers. Vaishnaw also stressed the green benefits of railway expansion over road transport.
“Indian Railways, being an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly transport system, will help reduce dependence on fossil fuels,” he said. The projects are expected to cut India’s oil imports by 28 crore litres and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 139 crore kilograms—equivalent to planting around six crore trees.
The capacity augmentation has been formulated under the PM Gati Shakti framework, which promotes integrated planning across ministries. The aim is to provide seamless movement of goods and people through coordinated infrastructure development.
The approval is also seen as one of the most significant recent investments in Indian Railways’ network expansion strategy which is expected to play a critical role in achieving the country’s broader economic and sustainability goals.
