NEW DELHI, Sept 9: The Union Cabinet has approved railway multitracking projects worth around Rs 20,000 crore across nine states, with the planned works expected to strengthen connectivity and expand the country’s rail capacity.
The projects will cover nearly 1,196 km of railway routes and are targeted for completion by 2029-30, according to details reported on Wednesday.
The expansion is expected to improve the movement of freight and passengers while helping ease congestion on busy railway corridors.
The planned works form part of the government’s broader effort to increase railway capacity and improve the efficiency of the national transport network. Additional tracks on heavily used routes can allow more trains to operate while reducing delays caused by congestion.
The projects are also expected to support economic activity in the regions covered by the new infrastructure, particularly by improving access to industrial centres, markets and logistics networks.
Rail connectivity has remained a major focus of public infrastructure spending, with the government seeking to increase freight capacity and encourage a greater share of goods movement through rail.
The latest approvals come at a time when infrastructure investment continues to play an important role in supporting economic growth. The government has increasingly prioritised transport projects aimed at improving logistics efficiency and reducing bottlenecks.
Improved rail capacity could also benefit industries that depend heavily on bulk transportation, including coal, minerals, cement, steel and other commodities.
The projects are expected to generate employment during construction and create longer-term economic opportunities along the upgraded corridors.
The Cabinet approval comes amid heightened attention on infrastructure and railway-related companies in financial markets. Railway stocks have been in focus following a series of government announcements involving new projects and capacity expansion.
With implementation scheduled over the coming years, the projects are expected to contribute to the expansion and modernisation of the country’s railway network while supporting faster and more efficient movement of goods and people.