₹23,437 crore worth of rail projects get government nod

The government has approved three major railway multi-tracking projects worth ₹23,437 crore. These are:

• Nagda–Mathura, 
• Guntakal–Wadi, and 
• Burhwal–Sitapur, 

The why: the aim is to boost capacity and ease congestion on key routes. These routes span  19 districts across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. And will add around 901 km to the existing rail network. 

Alongside improving connectivity, they will enhance access to key tourist destinations such as Mahakaleshwar, Ranthambore National Park, Kuno National Park, Keoladeo National Park, Mathura, Vrindavan, and Mantralayam. 

Additionally: the routes will also serve as critical freight corridors for commodities like coal, cement, foodgrains, petroleum products, iron and steel, and fertilisers. 

Once completed, the expanded capacity is expected to handle an additional 60 million tonnes of freight annually, making both passenger and goods movement faster and more efficient.