Cabinet Clears Infrastructure Projects Worth ₹7,600 Crore

(MENAFN- Live Mint) NEW DELHI: The Union cabinet on Wednesday approved infrastructure projects worth a total of ₹7,616 crore for Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, including major upgrades in road and rail connectivity.

One project involves doubling a 177-km railway line connecting the three states at a cost of ₹3,169 crore, information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said after the meeting. The second is a ₹4,447 crore highway project linking Buxar and Bhagalpur in Bihar.

Bihar heads to assembly polls later this year.

Also Read | Value retailers crowd into UP, Bihar to tap rising incomes, mass markets

The 82-km, four-lane stretch on the Buxar–Bhagalpur high-speed corridor will cut travel time by an hour and pass through Mokama, Barahiya, Lakhisarai, Jamalpur, and Munger, eventually connecting to Bhagalpur, an official statement said.

Since the start of the ruling National Democratic Alliance's third term, infrastructure projects worth ₹10.94 trillion have been cleared.

“You can see the significant difference on the ground in terms of the fast pace of work and job creation,” Vaishnaw said.

Eastern Bihar is emerging as an industrial hub with ordinance factories, locomotive workshops, and food processing and warehousing units. Bhagalpur is positioning itself as a textile and logistics hub, led by Bhagalpuri silk, while Barahiya is developing into a food packaging and agro-warehousing centre.

The increase in economic activity in the region is expected to drive up freight movement and traffic on the Mokama-Munger section in the future.

The doubling of the Bhagalpur–Dumka–Rampurhat railway line will cover five districts across Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, connecting 441 villages and three backward districts, the cabinet committee on economic affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said. It is expected to ease congestion, improve mobility, and handle an additional 15 million tonnes of freight annually.

Also Read | Rail freight surges to record high on steel, coal demand

This rail project is also expected to save 50 million litres of oil imports and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 240 million kg, equivalent to planting 10 million trees.

Also Read | Centre pushes banks to ramp up infrastructure lending amid slowing credit

The projects, the statement said, are aligned with the Prime Minister's vision of an Atmanirbhar India, focusing on comprehensive regional development to boost both employment and self-employment opportunities.

The projects focus on improving multi-modal connectivity and logistic efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations.“These projects will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods, and services,” it said.

MENAFN10092025007365015876ID1110043245