Centre approves ₹9,450 crore for 410-km rail expansion across four states

The central government has sanctioned ₹9,450 crore for the implementation of four critical rail corridor projects aimed at decongesting existing railway routes and enhancing transportation capacity across eastern, southern and coastal regions of India.

The multitracking initiatives, distributed across West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, will collectively add nearly 410 kilometres to the Indian railway network. These projects are designed to address mounting passenger and freight traffic on some of the country's busiest rail corridors, reducing bottlenecks and improving operational efficiency.

Multitracking projects involve the construction of additional parallel railway lines on existing corridors, enabling better traffic management and increased train frequency without requiring entirely new route acquisitions. This approach minimises land acquisition challenges while maximizing utilization of established railway corridors.

The investment reflects the government's broader infrastructure modernization agenda, which prioritizes railway expansion as a key component of India's transportation strategy. These projects are expected to improve connectivity, reduce transit times and support economic growth in their respective regions by facilitating smoother movement of both passengers and cargo.