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India’s Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved five railway multitracking projects worth around ₹10,021 crore across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana.
Before we move on, here are the five projects:
- Arakkonam-Renigunta third and fourth lines: 77 km
- Whitefield-Bangarapet third and fourth lines: 47 km
- Hosur-Omalur doubling: 147 km
- Salem-Karur-Dindigul doubling: 159 km
- Secunderabad (Ghatkesar)-Kazipet multitracking: 110 km
What’s happening: together, the projects will add around 540 km to the railway network and increase capacity on some of the country’s key routes, particularly those used to transport coal, cement, iron and steel.
The government estimates that the projects could support around 27 million tonnes of additional freight traffic annually, while also helping reduce logistics costs.
The other benefit: the additional rail capacity is expected to cut oil consumption by around 8 crore litres and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 42 crore kg.
Scheduled for completion by 2029-30, the projects will cover 17 districts and improve rail connectivity to around 2,121 villages, home to a combined population of roughly 52 lakh.
Zoom out: this is part of India’s bigger push to move more goods by rail.
The government wants to increase railways’ share of freight transport from around 35-36% to 45% by 2030, which could help take freight off roads and reduce transport emissions.
And the railway expansion isn’t limited to freight corridors.
Just last month, India reportedly outlined plans to invest as much as ₹45,000 crore to upgrade railway infrastructure along its borders with China, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as it looks to strengthen connectivity in strategically important regions.
