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Home India Ministry of Railways Notifications Cabinet approves four multitracking projects cover... (Official PDF)
Date: 19th August 2026 Category: Press Release Jurisdiction: India, Central Government

Cabinet approves four multitracking projects covering eight Districts in West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, increasing the existing network of Indian Railways by about 410 Kms

Issued by Ministry of Railways

Read or download the official PDF of this gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Railways on 19th August 2026. Classified under Press Release.

Executive Summary & Key Takeaways

Executive Summary The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved four multi-tracking railway projects spanning 410 km across West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. With an estimated investment of Rs. 9,450 crore, these projects aim to enhance logistics efficiency and service reliability by the completion deadline of 2030-31. The initiative focuses on increasing freight capacity by 76 MTPA and improving connectivity for approximately 60 lakh people.

Key Points / Main Content

Project Scope and Infrastructure

  • Kharagpur – Bhadrak (Ranital): Construction of a 173 km 4th line across West Bengal and Odisha.
  • Bhadrak – Haridaspur: Construction of a 75 km 4th line in Odisha.
  • Gummidipundi – Gudur: Construction of 90 km of 3rd and 4th lines across Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
  • Cuttack – Paradeep (Badabandha): Construction of 72 km of 3rd and 4th lines in Odisha.

Strategic Objectives

  • Operational Efficiency: Aims to significantly enhance mobility, alleviate network congestion, and improve service reliability.
  • PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan: Projects are designed using integrated planning and stakeholder consultations to provide seamless multi-modal connectivity for people and goods.
  • Economic Development: Aligned with the "Atmanirbhar" vision to foster comprehensive regional development and increase employment/self-employment opportunities.

Freight and Environmental Impact

  • Commodity Transport: Essential routes for transporting coal, iron ore, cement, iron and steel, containers, automobiles, and food grains.
  • Capacity Augmentation: Expected to result in additional freight traffic of 76 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum).
  • Sustainability: Projected to reduce oil imports by approximately 13 crore litres and lower CO2 emissions by 65 crore kg (equivalent to planting 2.60 crore trees).

Impact Analysis

Stakeholder: Indian Railways Impact: Enhanced line capacity and improved operational efficiency across eight districts. Action Required: Execute and oversee the construction of 410 km of additional tracks to meet the 2030-31 completion target.

Stakeholder: Local Communities (60 Lakh Residents in 6,448 Villages) Impact: Improved regional connectivity and increased access to employment and self-employment opportunities. Action Required: Utilize improved transport links for regional mobility and economic participation.

Stakeholder: Industrial and Logistics Sectors Impact: Reduced logistics costs and faster movement of essential commodities like steel, coal, and food grains. Action Required: Align supply chain and logistics planning with the projected 76 MTPA increase in freight capacity.

Stakeholder: Tourism Sector Impact: Improved rail access to prominent destinations, including Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhitarkanika National Park, and several major temples (e.g., Sarala Temple, Lord Veeraraghava Perumal Temple). Action Required: Update tourism infrastructure and promotional strategies to accommodate increased visitor access to these sites.

Key Entities Referenced

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs: The committee chaired by the Prime Minister that approved four railway multitracking projects with an estimated cost of Rs. 9,450 crore. PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan: The national framework for integrated planning and multi-modal connectivity under which these railway projects are planned. Ministry of Railways: The primary ministry responsible for the implementation of the four approved multitracking projects across eight districts. West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh: The specific states where the 410 km of new railway network and multitracking projects will be developed.
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Ministry of Railways Cabinet approves four multitracking projects covering eight Districts in West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, increasing the existing network of Indian Railways by about 410 Kms The total estimated cost of the projects is Rs. 9,450 crore to be completed up to 2030-31 प्रव तथ: 19 AUG 2026 3:20PM by PIB Delhi The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today has approved Four projects of Ministry of Railways with total cost of Rs. 9,450 crore approximately. These projects include: 1. Kharagpur – Bhadrak (Ranital) 4th Line – 173 km (West Bengal and Odisha) 2. Bhadrak – Haridaspur 4th Line – 75 km (Odisha) 3. Gummidipundi – Gudur 3rd and 4th Line – 90 km (Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu) 4. Cuttack – Paradeep (Badabandha) 3rd and 4th Line - 72 km (Odisha) The increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. These multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion. The projects are in line with the Prime Minister Shri 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 planned on PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan with focus on enhancing multi-modal connectivity & logistic efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations. These projects will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods, and services. The 04 (Four) projects covering 08 Districts across the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 410 Kms. The proposed multi-tracking projects will enhance connectivity to approximately 6,448 villages, which are having a population of about 60 lakhs. The proposed capacity enhancement will improve rail connectivity to several prominent tourist destinations across the country, including Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhitarkanika National Park, Maa Bhadrakali temple, Maa Dhamarai temple, Panchalingeswar Temple, Talsari–Udaypur and Chandipur Beach, Pulicat Lake, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, Lord Veeraraghava Perumal Temple, Gada Kujanga Jagannath Temple, Sarala Temple, Dhabaleswar Temple, Lalitgiri (a Buddhist site), etc.The proposed projects are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as coal, iron ore, cement, iron and steel, container, automobile, food grains, etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 76 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 (~13 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (~65 Crore Kg) which is equivalent to plantation of 2.60 crore trees. *** MJPS (रलीज़ आईडी: 2301143) आगंतुक पटल : 1024 इस वज्ञ को इन भाषाओ ंम पढ़: Urdu , ही , Marathi , Punjabi , Gujarati , Tamil , Kannada , Malayalam

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