The Union Cabinet has approved four railway line projects and one highway project with a combined investment of Rs 13,041 crore, aimed at strengthening rail and road connectivity, improving freight movement and easing congestion across key routes.
The approved projects include new railway lines and additional tracks across Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, along with a four-lane highway connecting Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and Sonbarsa in Bihar.
The Cabinet approved the Kharagpur-Bhadrak (Ranital) fourth-line project at an estimated cost of Rs 3,352 crore. It also cleared the Bhadrak-Haridaspur fourth-line project, which will involve an investment of Rs 1,583 crore.
Another major railway project approved is the Gummidipundi-Gudur third and fourth-line project, with an estimated cost of Rs 2,229 crore. The fourth railway project is the Cuttack-Paradeep third and fourth-line project, which has been approved at a cost of Rs 2,286 crore.
The additional railway lines are expected to improve capacity on key routes, support smoother movement of passengers and freight and help address congestion on busy railway corridors.
The Cabinet also approved a four-lane highway project connecting Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and Sonbarsa in Bihar. The project has been sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 3,591 crore and is expected to improve road connectivity between important centres in the state. The highway will strengthen regional connectivity and facilitate faster movement of people and goods across the corridor.
The railway projects will add capacity across important corridors in eastern and southern India, while the Bihar highway project will strengthen road connectivity in the state.
The approvals come as the government continues to prioritise infrastructure development, with investments in railways and highways aimed at improving logistics efficiency, reducing congestion and supporting economic activity.
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