Cabinet approves one highway and four railway multi-tracking projects

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved one highway upgradation, and four railway multi-tracking projects worth Rs 13,041 crore Wednesday. Announcing the decisions, union information broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said these projects will boost freight and passenger movement in the region.

Upgradation of the 82.578-kilometre (km) Muzaffarpur-Sitamarhi-Sonbarsa Section of NH-22 to four-Lane Standard in Bihar will be developed on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) for Rs 3590.73 crore, an official statement said.

The proposed project is significant due to its integration with Bihar’s expanding National Highway network. It has been designed for a speed of 100 kmph with an average speed of 80 kmph, having no at-grade median openings, ensuring fast and safe travel, the statement added.

Vaishnaw said the highway is a key feeder corridor connecting the India–Nepal border at Sonbarsa with economic centers like Muzaffarpur at NH-27 (East–West Corridor). “The project will significantly reduce congestion in densely populated areas of Muzaffarpur, Muksudpur, Runni Saidpur, Thumma, Dumra, Bhutahi, and Sonbarsa,” the statement said.

The upgraded corridor will enhance connectivity to five PM Gati-Shakti Economic Nodes (four Industrial Estates and one Mega Food park). Four Social Nodes (Baba Garibnath Temple, Mata Janki Temple, Punaura Dham, Muzaffarpur & Sitamarhi aspirational Districts), and two Logistic Nodes (Muzaffarpur & Sitamarhi Railway Stations) will also get better access, the statement added.

The four railway multitracking projects cover eight districts in West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, increasing the existing network of Indian Railways by about 410 kms for Rs 9,450 crore. They are to be completed by 2030-31, enhancing connectivity to approximately 6,448 villages, which are having a population of about 60 lakhs.

The proposed projects are essential routes for transport of coal, iron ore, cement, iron and steel, container, automobile, and food grains, among others. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 76 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA).