Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has greenlit two significant railway projects under the Ministry of Railways, with an estimated cost of approximately Rs. 6,798 crore. These projects include the doubling of the Narkatiaganj-Raxaul-Sitamarhi-Darbhanga and Sitamarhi-Muzaffarpur sections, covering a total of 256 kilometers, as well as the construction of a new rail line between Errupalem and Namburu via Amaravati, spanning 57 kilometers. Both initiatives are expected to be completed within 5 years and will create direct employment opportunities amounting to about 106 lakh human-days.
These railway developments promise substantial benefits. The doubling projects in Bihar is set to streamline connectivity to Nepal and the northeastern regions of India, facilitating smoother movement for both passenger and freight trains. This development is anticipated to encourage socio-economic development in the area. Meanwhile, the new rail line connecting Errupalem to Namburu will cross the NTR Vijayawada and Guntur districts in Andhra Pradesh and the Khammam district in Telangana.
Together, these projects will expand the Indian Railways network by approximately 313 kilometers, impacting eight districts across three states: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Bihar. The new line will connect around 168 villages, benefiting a population of about 12 lakh people with the establishment of nine new stations. Additionally, the multi-tracking initiative will improve access to two aspirational districts, Sitamarhi and Muzaffarpur, serving roughly 388 villages and nine lakh residents.
These routes are vital for transporting essential commodities, including agricultural products, fertilizers, coal, iron ore, steel, and cement. The capacity enhancements are projected to yield an additional freight traffic of 31 million tonnes per annum. As an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient transportation mode, the railways are poised to play a crucial role in achieving national climate goals by significantly reducing logistics costs and lowering CO2 emissions by approximately 168 crore kilograms, equivalent to the planting of seven crore trees.
The new rail line will provide direct access to Amaravati, the proposed capital of Andhra Pradesh, enhancing mobility for both industries and the local population. This development promises to increase efficiency and reliability in rail services. By alleviating congestion through the multi-tracking proposal, the projects will also bring about necessary infrastructural advancements along some of the busiest railway sections in the country.
These projects align with the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for integrated multi-modal connectivity, projected to bring substantial economic gains through increased freight capacity of 31 million tonnes per annum.
