Centre Gives Nod To Railway, Highway Projects Worth Rs 28,875 For Development
The Interministerial National Planning Group has approved six railway and highway projects totaling Rs 28,875.16 crore in order to increase connectivity to diverse villages and important industrial business hubs across states and shorten travel times by avoiding crowded and densely inhabited areas.
Along with expanding commercial opportunities, the road and rail projects that span states like Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka will also provide jobs for the locals.
The list of projects includes Barbil-Nayagarh-Barsuan and Bhadrasahi- Kiriburu railway project which will see an investment of Rs 12,532.87 crore, connecting the existing stations of South Eastern Railway and Nayagarh of East Coast Railway. This railway alignment connects the major mines of Sundargarh and Keonjhar district of Odisha tate and Paschimi Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.
The projected Malkangiri to Bhadrachalam railway line, which would cost Rs 3,591.76 crore and cover the states of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, has also received approval from the national planning committee. This would create a new route that connects the East Coast Railway (Junagarh) and South Central Railway (Pandurangapuram). Additionally, it should shorten the distance between southern Odisha's minerals and industry and Andhra Pradesh's deep seaports. The projects are being undertaken as part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan's area development concept for greater linkage to both social and commercial infrastructure.
In addition, a line from Vaibhavwadi to Kolhapur in Maharashtra worth Rs. 3411.17 crore is being considered. In addition to serving other sectors, it is anticipated that the new line will handle the transportation of thermal coal to the region's many thermal power plants, particularly those in Maharashtra and Karnataka. For the connectivity of new infrastructure, the industry in the vicinity, particularly tourism hotspots, was evaluated.
A road project Hassan-Raichur Economic Corridor 20 (EC20), with a total project cost of Rs 6,274.75 crore under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, was also cleared at the meeting. The EC20 corridor passes through two States and 5 districts namely, Hassan, Tumkur, Bellary in Karnataka, Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh and Raichur in Karnataka. It is expected to enhance the connectivity to Economic and Social Nodes of the area.
A 6-lane stretch of NH-848 from Gonde to Pimpri-Sado and a 4-lane stretch from Satai Ghat to Kaimaha along the borders of MP and UP were also suggested by the national planning committee. Together, these projects will cost a combined Rs 936.03 crore and Rs 2,128.58 crore, respectively. These initiatives are anticipated to reduce traffic congestion on the current roadways and improve management of freight volume and traffic flow.
