Cabinet approves two multi-tracking railway projects in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh

Cabinet approves railway projects for faster transportation, economic growth, and environmental benefits, enhancing connectivity and logistics efficiency.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved two multi-tracking railway projects to ensure faster transportation of both passengers and goods, the government said on Wednesday (May 28, 2025).

It added that these projects include the third and fourth line between Ratlam-Nagda and fourth line between Wardha-Balharshah.

According to a government statement, the total estimated cost of the projects is ₹3,399 crore and will be completed by 2029-30.

“The projects are result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which have been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services,” the press note said.

It added, “The two projects covering four districts across the States of Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 176 km. The proposed multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approx 784 villages having a population of about 19.74 lakh.” Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that these two projects will give a boost to infrastructure in the country in the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Chennai economic corridors, removing the traffic bottlenecks.

He added that during the third term of the Modi government, projects worth more than ₹4.5 lakh crore have been approved in the transport and infrastructure sector in the country.

The government said that these are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as coal, cement, clinker, gypsum, fly ash, containers, agriculture commodities, and petroleum products etc, hence the capacity augmentation work will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 18.40 MTPA (million tonnes per annum).