The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved Indian Railways multitracking projects worth a combined ₹20,804 crore, covering eight railway projects across nine states and scheduled for completion by 2029-30.
According to two releases issued by the Press Information Bureau on September 9, 2026, the projects will add about 1,196 km to the existing Indian Railways network and increase line capacity on key passenger and freight corridors.
₹10,021 Crore Approved for Five Southern Projects
The first set of five projects, costing approximately ₹10,021 crore, covers 17 districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana.
The approved projects are:
Arakkonam–Renigunta 3rd and 4th Line: 77 km
Whitefield–Bangarapet 3rd and 4th Line: 47 km
Hosur–Omalur Doubling: 147 km
Salem–Karur–Dindigul Doubling: 159 km
Secunderabad (Ghatkesar)–Kazipet Multitracking: 110 km
These projects will expand the railway network by about 540 km and improve connectivity to approximately 2,121 villages with a population of around 52 lakh.
The capacity expansion is expected to support additional freight traffic of 47 MTPA. The projects will also support the movement of commodities including coal, cement, iron and steel, containers, automobiles, food grains, petroleum products and fertilizers.
Three More Projects Worth ₹10,783 Crore
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has also approved three multitracking projects with a total estimated cost of ₹10,783 crore across West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
The projects include the Kharagpur–Jharsuguda (Bagdehi) 4th Line, Katni–Pendra Road 4th Line and Bilaspur (Uslapur)–Pendra Road 3rd Line.
Together, these projects will add about 656 km to the Indian Railways network and cover 14 districts. They are expected to improve connectivity to approximately 4,790 villages with a population of about 56 lakh.
The capacity augmentation is expected to enable additional freight traffic of 27 MTPA, mainly supporting the transportation of coal, cement, iron and steel.
Lower Logistics Costs and Reduced Emissions
The approved projects have been planned under the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan to improve multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency.
The five southern projects are expected to reduce oil imports by about 8 crore litres and lower CO2 emissions by around 42 crore kg, equivalent to the plantation of approximately 2 crore trees.
The three other projects are expected to reduce oil imports by about 12 crore litres and cut CO2 emissions by approximately 62 crore kg, equivalent to the plantation of 2.48 crore trees.
The projects are also expected to improve rail access to several tourist and religious destinations across the covered states while easing congestion and improving operational efficiency and service reliability.
Q1. What is the total cost of the approved Indian Railways multitracking projects?
The eight approved projects have a combined estimated cost of ₹20,804 crore.
Q2. How many railway projects were approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs?
A total of eight multitracking projects were approved through two sets of Cabinet decisions.
Q3. How much railway network will these projects add?
The projects will increase the existing Indian Railways network by about 1,196 km.
Q4. When are the approved railway projects planned to be completed?
All the projects are planned for completion by 2029-30.
Q5. Which states are covered by the approved projects?
The projects cover Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
