In a bid to improve railway connectivity and reduce logistics cost, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved two railway projects of the railway ministry with total estimated cost of around Rs 6,798 crore.
The two include doubling of Narkatiaganj-Raxaul-Sitamarhi-Darbhanga & Sitamarhi-Muzaffarpur Section covering 256 kms and construction of new line between Errupalem and Namburu via Amaravati covering 57 kms to be completed in 5years.
These projects are expected to generate direct employment for about 106 lakh human-days.
“The doubling of Narkatiaganj-Raxaul-Sitamarhi-Darbhanga & Sitamarhi-Muzaffarpur Section will strengthen the connectivity to Nepal, north-east India and border areas and facilitating movement of passenger trains along with goods train resulting in the socio-economic growth of the region,” an official statement said.
The second line Errupalem-Amaravati-Namburu, on the other hand, traverses through NTR Vijayawada and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh and Khammam district of Telangana.
The two projects covering 8 districts in 3 states including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Bihar will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 313 km, it added.
The new line project is further expected to provide connectivity to nearly 168 villages and about 12 lakh population with 9 new stations. Multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to two aspirational districts (Sitamarhi and Muzaffarpur) serving around 388 villages and about 9 lakh population.
“These are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as agriculture products, fertiliser, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 31 MTPA (million tonne per annum). The railways being environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics cost of the country, lower CO2 emissions (168 crore kg) which is equivalent to plantation of 7 crore trees,” the statement noted.
The new line proposal will also provide direct connectivity to Amaravati the proposed capital of Andhra Pradesh and improve mobility for industries and the population, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. The multi-tracking proposal will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-required infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways.
The projects are in line with Prime Minister’s Vision of a New India which will make people of the region “Atmanirbhar” by way of comprehensive development in the area which will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities. They are also a result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which have been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.
