Cabinet Clears Rs 3,907 Crore Railway Expansion, Adding 145 km of Track

In a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved two multi‑track railway initiatives spanning four districts of Odisha and Jharkhand. The projects, costing Rs 3,907 crore, will extend India’s railway grid by about 145 km. The added capacity is set to streamline train operations, improve reliability, and connect roughly 1,536 villages housing 1.4 million people. Key tourist destinations such as the Lalitgiri Buddhist complex, Shri Baladevjiu Temple and the Meghahatuburu hills will become more accessible. The routes will also serve as essential freight corridors for minerals like coal, iron ore, dolomite, limestone and gypsum, potentially raising annual freight movement by 44 million tonnes. Environmental gains include lower logistics expenses, an estimated saving of 6 crore litres of diesel and a reduction of CO₂ emissions by 29 million kg—benefits comparable to planting ten million trees. These projects are aligned with the New India vision and the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan, fostering regional growth, self‑reliance and new employment avenues.