New Delhi, Apr 4: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today approved four projects of the Ministry of Railways with total cost of Rs 18,658 crore.
 
Briefing media in New Delhi, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the projects covers 15 districts in three States Odisha, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh and will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 1,247 Kilometres.

These projects include:
1. Sambalpur – Jarapda 3rd and 4th Line                            
2. Jharsuguda – Sason 3rd and 4th Line                     
3. Kharsia – Naya Raipur – Parmalkasa 5th and 6th Line    
4. Gondia – Balharshah doubling   

The enhanced line capacity will improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. These multi-tracking proposals will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-required infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways.
 
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/ self-employment opportunities.
 
The projects are result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which have been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.
 
With these projects 19 New Stations will be constructed, enhancing connectivity to Two Aspirational Districts (Gadchiroli and Rajnandgaon). Multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approx. 3350 villages and about 47.25 lakh population.
 
Kharsia – Naya Raipur – Parmalkasa will provide direct connectivity to new areas such as Baloda Bazar, this will create possibilities for setting up of new industrial units including cement plants in the region. These are essential routes for transportation of commodities
such as agriculture products, fertilizer, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, limestone etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional
freight traffic of magnitude 88.77 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum).  The Railways being environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimizing logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (95 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (477 Crore Kg) which is equivalent to plantation of 19 Crore trees.