India's Union Cabinet has approved two massive railway expansion projects worth ₹24,815 crore. The projects include the construction of the Ghaziabad-Sitapur third and fourth line and the Rajahmundry (Nidadavolu)-Visakhapatnam (Duvvada) third and fourth line.
The Ghaziabad-Sitapur project, covering 403 km, is estimated to cost ₹14,926 crore and is expected to be completed in four years. The project includes the development of six new stations and will support key industrial hubs along the route, enabling additional freight traffic of 36 million tonnes per annum.
The project is also expected to reduce logistics costs by ₹2,877 crore annually, generate 274 lakh human-days of employment, and result in carbon savings equivalent to planting 5 crore trees.
The Rajahmundry (Nidadavolu)-Visakhapatnam (Duvvada) project, covering 198 km, is estimated to cost ₹9,889 crore and has a five-year timeline. The project includes the construction of a 4.3 km rail bridge over the Godavari river and is part of the Howrah-Chennai high-density network.
The project is expected to improve logistics efficiency, reduce transportation costs, and facilitate faster cargo movement between ports and industrial hubs. It will also cater to key sectors such as thermal power, cement, and steel.
