Cabinet clears two railway doubling projects across Jharkhand, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday approved two railway doubling projects worth Rs 6,405 crore.

The sanctioned projects—Koderma–Barkakana doubling (133 km) in Jharkhand and Ballari–Chikjajur doubling (185 km) in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh—will augment Indian Railways’ network by 318 km, covering seven districts and connecting approximately 1,408 villages with a combined population of 28.19 lakh, an official release said.

The Koderma–Barkakana section passes through a major coal-producing belt and serves as the shortest and more efficient rail link between Patna and Ranchi.

The Ballari–Chikjajur line traverses the Ballari and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka and the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, regions critical to mineral and industrial transportation.

“It will efficiently connect the hinterland with the Mangalore port. We are creating a master plan for improving Mangalore's railway connectivity... This is a complex project with 29 major bridges... It will benefit around 13 lakh population,” Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at a briefing.

Vaishaw added that the project will also help the country save 20 crore litres of diesel annually.

The projects are part of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity, ensuring integrated planning for seamless movement of people, goods, and services.

The increased line capacity is expected to improve operational efficiency, reduce congestion, and increase the overall reliability of rail services. The routes are vital for transporting coal, iron ore, steel, cement, fertilisers, agricultural commodities, and petroleum products, with an estimated additional freight capacity of 49 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).

According to the government, the projects will contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing oil imports by 52 crore litres and lowering carbon dioxide emissions by 264 crore kg.