Govt approves ₹23,437 crore railway expansion across 6 states

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved three railway multi-tracking projects worth ₹23,437 crore aimed at easing congestion and improving network capacity, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

The projects include the Nagda–Mathura, Guntakal–Wadi, and Burhwal–Sitapur third and fourth line expansions. Together, they will add around 901 km to the Indian Railways network.

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The government said the projects are part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and are designed to enhance multi-modal connectivity, streamline operations, and improve service reliability.

Spanning 19 districts across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, the projects are expected to benefit about 4,161 villages with a combined population of nearly 83 lakh.

The capacity augmentation will also improve rail access to key tourist destinations such as Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ranthambore National Park, Keoladeo National Park, and Mathura.

According to the government, the projects will support transportation of key commodities including coal, cement, foodgrains, and steel, while enabling additional freight traffic of about 60 million tonnes per annum.

The ministry added that the enhanced rail capacity will help reduce logistics costs, cut oil imports by an estimated 37 crore litres, and lower carbon emissions by 185 crore kg—equivalent to planting around 7 crore trees.