New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) During the last three financial years from 2022-23, to 2024-25 and the first quarter of the current FY 2025-26, as many as 184 multi-tracking projects comprising a total length of 6,708 kms with an investment of approximately Rs 1,15,198 crore have been sanctioned across the country, Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament on Wednesday.
Railway projects are surveyed, sanctioned and executed according to Zonal Railways and not state-wise or district-wise as Railway projects may span across State boundaries, the minister explained in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
He said that the sanctioning of railway projects is a continuous and dynamic process and railway projects are sanctioned on the basis of remunerativeness, traffic projections, last mile connectivity, missing links and alternative routes, augmentation of congested and saturated lines, demands raised by State Governments, Central Ministries, Members of Parliament, other public representatives, Railways’ own operational requirement and socio-economic considerations depending upon the throw forward of ongoing projects and overall availability of funds.
These multi-tracking projects will enhance line capacity, provide additional passenger and freight traffic, enable faster movement of goods and services, reduce operational bottlenecks, improve logistics efficiency, increase in direct and indirect employment opportunities for the people of the region, reduce operational bottlenecks, develop the tourism industry and increase industrial activities in the region.
The minister further stated that as on April 1, across Indian Railways, 431 Railway infrastructure projects (154 New Line, 33 Gauge Conversion and 244 Doubling) of total length 35,966 kms, costing approximately Rs 6.75 lakh crore have been sanctioned, out of which, 12,769 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of approximately 2.91 lakh crore has been incurred up to March 2025.
The minister’s reply was tabled in response to a question raised by Lok Sabha MP Ujjwal Raman Singh. The MP had asked whether the Government has approved four important multi-tracking projects of the Indian Railways and if so, the names of the States where these projects are likely to be implemented.
–IANS
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