New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved four railway projects with a cost of Rs 12,328 crore, a government press note said on Wednesday.
The projects comprise the construction of a new rail line connecting Deshalpar-Hajipir-Luna, and Vayor and Lakhpat, a third and fourth line between Secunderabad (Sanathnagar)-Wadi, a third line from Bhagalpur to Jamalpur, and doubling of the Furkating-New Tinsukia line. The projects will provide connectivity, reduce logistics costs, and decrease the railways’ dependence on oil imports, a press note said.
The construction of the new lines will contribute to lower CO2 emissions and will generate direct employment for about 251 lakh human-days, it said.
A line will provide connectivity to far-fetched areas of the Kutch region, adding 145 km and 164 km of tracks to the existing railway network in Gujarat, it said. The estimated cost of the lines there is Rs 2,526 crore, with a three-year construction deadline.
“Besides promoting tourism in the state of Gujarat, the new rail line will help in the transportation of salt, cement, coal, clinker & bentonite. The strategic importance of the project is that it will provide connectivity to Rann of Kutch,” the government said.
“Harappan site Dholavira, Koteshwar temple, Narayan Sarovar & Lakhpat fort will also come under the rail network as 13 new railway stations will be added, benefitting 866 villages and about 16 Lakh population,” the press note said. Around 3,108 villages with 47.34 lakh population will be connected across Karnataka, Telangana, Bihar, and Assam with the new constructions.
The 173-km Secunderabad (Sanathnagar)-Wadi third and fourth Line, spanning across Karnataka and Telangana, under construction at Rs 5,012 crore, will be ready in five years, the Centre said. The 53-km Bhagalpur-Jamalpur third line in Bihar, being built at a cost is Rs 1,156 crore, will be ready in three years, it said.
The Rs 3634-crore 194-km Furkating-New Tinsukia doubling will be finished in four years, it said.
“The projects are planned on the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan with a focus on enhancing multi-modal connectivity & logistic efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations. The four projects covering 13 Districts across the states of Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana, Bihar and Assam will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 565 Kms,” the note read.
The projects involve routes essential for the transportation of coal, cement, clinker, fly ash, steel, containers, fertilisers, agricultural commodities and petroleum products. The augmentation works will add to the freight traffic of 68 million tonnes per annum, and will reduce “oil import (56 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (360 Crore Kg)” equivalent to planting 14 crore trees, the government said. With agency inputs