7 Railway Projects Entirely Funded by the Central Government, Aim To Improve Train Operations, Reduce Congestion, And Enhance Travel And Transportation Convenience Across The Indian Rail Network.
New Delhi,16 August (City Times): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given the green light to 7 Railway Projects with a combined estimated cost of around Rs. 32,500 Crore. These works, entirely funded by the Central Government, aim to improve train operations, reduce congestion, and enhance travel and transportation convenience across the Indian Rail network.
The multi-tracking initiatives will bring much-needed infrastructural development to some of the busiest rail corridors in India. Covering 35 districts in 9 states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, this infrastructure boost will extend the Indian Rail network by an additional 2339 kilometers. This expansion is expected to create job opportunities, providing approximately 7.06 crore man-days of employment in these states.
The Infrastructure work encompass a variety of developments:
- Doubling of existing line: Gorakhpur-Cantt-Valmiki Nagar
- Multi Tracking: Son Nagar-Andal Multi tracking Project
- 3rd Line Expansion: Nergundi-Barang and Khurda Road-Vizianagaram
- Doubling of existing line: Mudkhed-Medchal and Mahbubnagar-Dhone
- Doubling of existing line: Guntur-Bibinagar
- Doubling of existing line: Chopan-Chunar
- Quadrupling: Samakhiali-Gandhidham
These works play a crucial role in transporting various commodities, including foodgrains, coal, cement, iron, crude oil, and more. The capacity enhancements are expected to accommodate an additional freight traffic volume of 200 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA), contributing to the efficient movement of goods across the country.
These endeavors align with the Prime Minister’s vision of a “New India,” fostering self-reliance through job creation and employment opportunities. They are also in line with the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for Multi-model connectivity, which aims to provide seamless connections for people, goods, and services while promoting environmental sustainability and cost efficiency.The approval of these works reflects the government’s commitment to bolstering India’s infrastructure, economic growth, and overall development.
Railway Minister Aims for Extensive Track Expansion
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has a big plan to lay down new railway tracks covering a distance of 7,000 kilometres in the coming year, 2023-24. He already achieved the previous target of 4,500 kilometres of track in the current year, which is a significant accomplishment. Before 2014, only 4 kilometres of track were added each day, but now it’s 12 kilometres per day. The upcoming tracks will include new lines, doubling the tracks, and converting the gauge, all to make the train travel smoother and more convenient across India.
Transformation of Railway Stations in Progress
The Railway Ministry has identified 31 railway stations in Punjab and Chandigarh for a special upgrade under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. This means that these stations will be improved and modernized for better passenger experience. It takes time to complete these changes due to safety and other important reasons, so there’s no fixed timeframe.
Record Budget for Railways
The government has decided to give a lot of money, about Rs. 2.40 lakh crore, for the railways this year. This is a lot more than before, almost nine times higher than in 2013. This shows that the government really wants to make the railways better and more modern.
Positive Reaction to Budget Money
Minister Vaishnaw is happy with the money given in the budget. He said Rs. 2.41 lakh crore is given for the railways this year, which is a good change for the sector. This money will help make train travel better for all of us. The Minister also said that the railway is getting better every year. They want to change 1275 stations under the ‘Amrit Bharat Station’ plan and upgrade the Vande Bharat trains.
Progress and More Jobs
The railway is making progress every year. More tracks are being added, and this helps passengers travel more easily. There’s also more work in the railway sector, as they have made 3,64,000 jobs in the last eight years. They are also planning to make 1,45,000 more jobs in the country. This is good news for people who need jobs.
You May Like This News: Celebration of India’s Independence Day at Chennai Port Authority