Cupboard sanctions 8 new line initiatives for Railways value Rs 25,000 crore

The Union Cupboard on Friday authorized eight new line initiatives for the Railways in a bid to enhance connectivity, facilitate ease of travelling, minimise logistics prices, and others. In a press release issued late on Friday, the Cupboard mentioned the whole estimated price of the initiatives is Rs 24,657 crore (approx.) and shall be accomplished by 2030-31.

The 8 initiatives will cowl 14 districts in seven states — Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana and West Bengal and can enhance the prevailing community of Indian Railways by 900 km.

“The initiatives are in step with the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Imaginative and prescient of a New India which can make folks of the area “Atmanirbhar” by the use of complete improvement within the space which can improve their employment/ self-employment alternatives. The proposed initiatives will enhance logistical effectivity by connecting the unconnected areas and enhancing transportation networks, leading to streamlined provide chains and accelerated financial development,” the assertion mentioned.  

With these initiatives 64 new stations shall be constructed, offering enhancing connectivity to 6 aspirational districts (East Singhbum, BhadadriKothagudem, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Rayagada), approx. 510 villages and about 40 lakh inhabitants.

Ajanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage web site shall be related to Indian Railway Community facilitating massive variety of vacationers.

“These are important routes for the transportation of commodities reminiscent of agriculture merchandise, fertilizer, coal, iron ore, metal, cement, bauxite, limestone, aluminium powder, granite, ballast, containers and so forth. The capability augmentation works will end in further freight site visitors of magnitude 143 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum). The Railways being environment-friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation, will assist each in reaching local weather targets and minimizing logistics price of the nation, scale back oil import (32.20 Crore Litres) and decrease CO2 emissions (0.87 MillionTonnes) which is equal to plantation of three.5 crore bushes,” the assertion mentioned. 

The railway ministry is targeted on reaching full electrification of its community by July 2024 and goals to put a minimal of two,000 km of recent tracks. Moreover, the ministry plans to introduce the brand new Vande Bharat trains.

Within the Interim Price range for FY25, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allotted a complete of Rs 2,52,200 crore to the railways as a part of gross budgetary help, together with an additional Rs 10,000 crore from exterior assets. Moreover, she disclosed plans for the event of three vital railway financial corridors in India, which included an power, mineral and cement hall, a port connectivity hall and a excessive site visitors density hall.

 FM Sitharaman maintained the allocation within the 2024-25 full Price range offered in July.