Centre approves ₹2,781 crore plan to add 224-km rail network across Maharashtra, Gujarat

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved two multi-tracking railway projects in Maharashtra and Gujarat, with a combined estimated cost of around ₹2,781 crore.

The proposals include doubling the Devbhumi Dwarka (Okha)–Kanalus line spanning 141 km in Gujarat, and construction of the 3rd and 4th lines on the 32-km Badlapur–Karjat section in Maharashtra.

The projects, together, will expand the existing Indian Railways network by about 224 km.

According to an official statement, the projects are expected to enhance line capacity, improve mobility, reduce congestion and boost operational efficiency. They cover four districts across the two states and will improve railway access for about 585 villages with a population of nearly 32 lakh.

The Kanalus–Okha doubling project is expected to strengthen connectivity to the Dwarkadhish temple and support economic development in the Saurashtra region, it said.

The additional tracks between Badlapur and Karjat, part of the Mumbai suburban corridor, are aimed at meeting future passenger demand in the metropolitan region and improving connectivity to southern India.

The government said the capacity expansion will facilitate freight movement of up to 18 million tonnes per annum and support transport of coal, cement, containers, petroleum products and other commodities.

The projects are also expected to help lower logistics costs, reduce oil imports by 3 crore litres and curb carbon emissions by 16 crore kg annually.

Both proposals have been planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan to strengthen multimodal connectivity through integrated infrastructure development, the statement added.

Last week, the Network Planning Group (NPG) under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan reviewed three major infrastructure proposals from the railways and the road transport ministry to strengthen multimodal connectivity and improve logistics efficiency.

The NPG reviewed a third and fourth railway line between Punarakh and Kiul in Bihar, a new broad-gauge railway line between Silghat and Dekargaon in Assam, and a four-lane elevated corridor on NH-65 in Solapur, Maharashtra.