Cabinet okays 4 railway projects worth Rs18,658 crore in 3 states

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said the Cabinet had cleared four railway projects worth Rs 18,658 crore in Maharashtra, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, which are expected to augment the railway network in the country by around 1,247 km.

The Cabinet had met on April 2, shortly before Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Thailand and Sri Lanka.

“The Railways plans to undertake four multi-tracking projects aimed to ensure seamless and faster transportation of both passengers and goods. These initiatives will improve travel convenience, reduce logistic cost, decrease oil imports and contribute to lower CO2 emissions, supporting sustainable and efficient rail operations,” mentioned an official statement.

The projects would entail construction of 19 new stations, which would help improve the connectivity to approximately 3,350 villages and about 47.25 lakh people.

The four projects under the Ministry of Railways would cover 15 districts across three states and were expected to be completed by 2030-31.

They would generate direct employment of about 379 lakh human-days during construction. The government said the projects aim to streamline supply chains by increasing the line capacity along the key routes for coal, iron ore and other minerals.

Phase II of Vibrant Villages programme approved

The Cabinet approved the Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II) with an investment of Rs 6,839 crore to develop villages near international borders from 2024-25 to 2028-29

Targeting 15 states and UTs, the scheme aims to improve living conditions, provide livelihood opportunities, and enhance infrastructure, education, and tourism in strategic border villages

“This programme has improved the GDP of border villages as procurement of local products is being done directly from villagers by defence forces,” said Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

India