THE Committee on Economic Affairs of India’s Union Cabinet has approved a track-doubling project on the 104km Bakhtiarpur - Rajgir - Tilaiya line in the eastern state of Bihar. The project will cost Rs 21.5bn ($US 242.1m) and forms part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
Providing a second track is forecast to increase freight traffic by 26 million tonnes a year, including coal, clinker, fly ash, and cement. For passengers, the project will improve connectivity to the religious centres of Rajgir, Nalanda and Pawanpuri, providing additional capacity and easing congestion.
Ahead of elections in Bihar in November, railways minister, Ashwani Vaishnaw, has announced several projects in the state, with the Union Cabinet to grant approval shortly for laying a third track on the 53km line from Bhagalpur to Jamalpur at a cost of Rs 11.6bn.
Cabinet approval is also expected shortly for the Rs 30bn project to provide a second track on the 177km line from Bhagalpur to Rampurhat in the neighbouring state of West Bengal.
Vaishnaw has announced that Indian Railways (IR) will introduce eight new trains in Bihar, including refurbished Amrit Bharat push-pull trains, of which five will be deployed on long-distance services and three on local duties.
In the northern state of Punjab, the Union Cabinet has approved a project to build a new 18km line from Rajpura to Mohali at a cost of Rs 4.4bn. This will provide the shortest route between Chandigarh, the state capital, and the Ambala - Amritsar main line.
The IR network in Punjab is now 100% electrified, and over the past 11 years 382km of new lines have been built as well 409 bridges under and over the railway.
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