Railways clears Rs 10,021 crore for 540 km of new lines in southern states

Bengaluru: The Centre has approved Rs 10,021 crore for five railway multi-tracking projects spanning 540 km across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V Somanna said on Wednesday.

The projects, cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will cover 17 districts and are targeted for completion by 2029-30. They are expected to improve rail connectivity to around 2,121 villages with a combined population of about 52 lakh, Somanna said.

The approved projects are the 47-km third and fourth lines between Whitefield and Bangarapet; 147-km doubling of the Hosur-Omalur section; 77-km third and fourth lines between Arakkonam and Renigunta; 159-km doubling of the Salem-Karur-Dindigul line; and 110-km multi-tracking of the Secunderabad-Kazipet section.


The projects will augment line capacity on key routes, reduce congestion and improve operational efficiency and service reliability, Somanna said.

Planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the projects aim to improve multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency through integrated planning and coordination among stakeholders.

The upgraded network will also improve access to several tourism destinations, including Tirupati, Tiruttani, Kolar Gold Fields, Hogenakkal Falls, Kodaikanal, Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary, Mettur Dam, Namakkal and Yadagirigutta.

The routes are also important for the movement of coal, cement, iron and steel, containers, automobiles, foodgrains, petroleum products and fertilisers. The capacity augmentation is expected to generate additional freight traffic of about 47 million tonnes a year, Somanna said.

He said shifting freight and passenger traffic to rail, which is more energy-efficient than road transport, would help lower logistics costs and support the country's climate goals. The projects are expected to reduce oil consumption by about 8 crore litres and cut carbon dioxide emissions by around 42 crore kg, equivalent to the carbon absorption of about 2 crore trees.