New Delhi: Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday approved eight new line projects across Indian Railways to provide connectivity and facilitate ease of travelling which minimises logistics costs and reduces oil imports.
Briefing reporters here, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said eight new railway line projects of the Ministry of Railways with a total estimated cost of Rs 24,657 crore, which will provide a substantial medium for development in aspirational districts and tribal-dominated constituencies including three projects in the southern and western portions of Odisha, have been approved.
"Eight projects will cover 14 districts in seven states - Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana and West Bengal. The total estimated cost of the projects is Rs 24,657 crore and will be completed up to 2030-31," Vaishnaw said.
These projects will provide connectivity, facilitate ease of travelling and minimise logistics costs. Once the projects are completed, these will reduce oil imports and lower CO2 emissions. Not only this, these will generate direct employment for about three crore man-days during construction," elaborated Vaishnaw.
"The projects are the result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which has been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods and services," the minister added.
With these projects 64 new stations will be constructed, providing enhancing connectivity to six aspirational districts - East Singhbhum, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Rayagada -, approximately 510 villages and about 40 lakh population. Ajanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will be connected to the Indian Railway Network facilitating a large number of tourists, he said.
These are essential routes for the transportation of commodities such as agricultural products, fertilizer, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, bauxite, limestone, aluminium powder, granite, ballast and containers. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 143 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum). The Railways being an environment-friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (32.20 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (0.87 MillionTonnes) which is equivalent to plantation of 3.5 crore trees, the minister added.
