DPIIT Evaluates Key Railway Projects In Bihar, West Bengal & Jharkhand To Boost Freight & Connectivity

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Nov 29 (KNN) The 103rd meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) was held on Friday, chaired by the Joint Secretary (Logistics), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), to review key infrastructure proposals aimed at strengthening multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan.

The session examined three railway projects for their alignment with the plan's principles-including integrated multimodal infrastructure, improved last-mile connectivity, and coordinated inter-ministerial planning.

These initiatives are expected to enhance logistics performance, reduce travel time, and support socio-economic development across their respective regions.

The Barbenda–Damrughutu–Bokaro Steel City corridor in West Bengal and Jharkhand is set for expansion, with the Ministry of Railways proposing the addition of a third and fourth line over a stretch of 51.761 km.

The plan includes building several major and minor bridges, road underpasses, and upgrading station yards. As a key freight route serving industries such as the Bokaro Steel Plant, Tata Steel, Dalmia Cement, and HPCL, the upgraded corridor is expected to reduce congestion, improve freight movement, and strengthen industrial supply chains.

In Bihar, the proposed Jamalpur–Munger–Sabdalpur double-line project spans 15 km and features a new bridge over the Ganga along with a bypass alignment, with completion targeted for July 2030.

Passing through densely populated parts of Munger and Begusarai, the corridor will enhance connectivity between northern and southeastern Bihar and Jharkhand.

It will support major industrial hubs such as the Jamalpur Railway Workshop, ITC facilities, thermal power plants, and petrochemical units.

The project is expected to reduce logistics costs, boost industrial competitiveness, and create substantial direct and indirect employment.

For West Bengal, the Ministry of Railways has also proposed adding a fourth line along the 110.919 km Santragachi–Panskura–Kharagpur section to accommodate growing freight and passenger traffic.

This busy corridor, which transports essential commodities and handles about 115 passenger trains daily, will undergo extensive station yard upgrades across 30 locations, along with significant bridge and underpass construction.

With freight demand poised to rise sharply in the coming decade, the expansion is aimed at easing congestion, increasing operational capacity, and improving the overall reliability of the regional rail network.

(KNN Bureau)

MENAFN29112025000155011030ID1110413294