(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday approved four multi-tracking railway projects with a total investment of Rs 11,169 crore, according to a cabinet communique.

These projects are the Itarsi-Nagpur 4th Line, the Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar)-Parbhani Doubling, the Aluabari Road-New Jalpaiguri 3rd and 4th Line, and the Dangoaposi-Jaroli 3rd and 4th Line.

The four projects covering 13 districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by 574 km.

The increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. The proposed multi-tracking projects will enhance connectivity to approximately 2,309 villages with a population of about 43.60 lakh.

These are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as coal, cement, clinker, gypsum, fly ash, containers, agricultural commodities, and petroleum products. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 95.91 million tonnes per annum, the statement said.

"These multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion. The projects are in line with 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 and self-employment opportunities,” the comminique said.

The projects are based on the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan with a focus on enhancing multi-modal connectivity and logistic efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations. These projects will provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services, the statement said.

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 (16 crore litres) and lower CO2 emissions (515 crore kg), which is equivalent to the plantation of 20 crore trees, the statement added.

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