New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved five infrastructure projects worth a total of Rs 13,041 crore, including four railway multitracking projects and one highway project.
Addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the four railway projects will cover eight districts across West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
The approved railway projects are the Kharagpur-Bhadrak 4th line, Bhadrak-Haridaspur 4th line, Gummidipundi-Gudur 3rd and 4th lines, and Cuttack-Paradeep 3rd and 4th lines.
These projects will add around 410 kilometres to the Indian Railways network. They have a combined estimated cost of Rs 9,450 crore and are scheduled to be completed by 2030-31.
The Cabinet has also approved the upgradation of the Muzaffarpur-Sitamarhi-Sonbarsa section of NH-22 in Bihar to four-lane standards.
The 82.57-kilometre highway project will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at a total capital cost of more than Rs 3,590 crore.
The projects are aimed at strengthening railway and road connectivity, improving transport capacity and facilitating smoother movement of passengers and goods across the concerned regions.