- Union Cabinet approves Rs 2,781 crore railway doubling projects in Maharashtra and Gujarat
- Projects will add 224 km of rail network across four districts and 585 villages
- Doubling from Kanalus to Okha improves connectivity to Dwarkadhish temple and Saurashtra
The Union Cabinet has given the green light to two major railway line doubling projects in Maharashtra and Gujarat, committing an estimated total investment of Rs 2,781 crore.
This infrastructure push, as announced by the Press Information Bureau, focuses on enhancing mobility along key industrial and freight corridors, set to ease congestion and support the economic growth of Western India.
These include approvals for Devbhumi Dwarka (Okha), Kanalus Doubling, which is 141 kms. Badlapur, Karjat third and fourth line with 32 kms.
The two projects covering four districts across the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat, will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 224 kms. The approved multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to nearly 585 villages, which are having a population of about 32 lakhs.
The approved doubling from Kanalus to Okha (Devbhoomi Dwarka) would provide better connectivity to Dwarkadhish temple facilitating access to key pilgrimage destination and lead to all round development of Saurashtra region.
Badlapur to Karjat section forms part of Mumbai suburban corridor, and is set to improve the connectivity in Mumbai suburban area and meet the future demands of passengers, along with providing connectivity to Southern India.
This is an essential route for transportation of commodities such as coal, salt, container, cement, POL among others. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 18 MTPA or Million Tonnes Per Annum.
The Railways being environmentally friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics cost of the country. This is also set to reduce oil imports by three crore litres and lower carbon-di-oxide emissions by around 16 crore kg.
The projects are in line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a New India which will make people of the region “Atmanirbhar” by way of comprehensive development in the area, which will enhance their employment and self-employment opportunities.
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