New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved three major railway expansion projects with a combined outlay of ₹18,509 crore, aimed at enhancing capacity and easing congestion across key routes.
The projects sanctioned by the Ministry of Railways include the Kasara–Manmad third and fourth line, the Delhi–Ambala third and fourth line, and the Bellary–Hosapete third and fourth line. Together, the initiatives will span 12 districts across Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and Karnataka, adding around 389 km to the existing network of Indian Railways.
Among the approved works, the 194-km Delhi–Ambala project is estimated to cost ₹5,983 crore. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the corridor holds strategic importance for both passenger services and troop movement. He noted that the route will facilitate faster deployment from Delhi to Jammu via Sonepat, Panipat and Kurukshetra, while also improving travel comfort on the Delhi–Chandigarh and onward Jammu sectors.
The minister said the Delhi–Ambala expansion is expected to be completed within four years and will not involve significant land acquisition. The project includes construction of one major bridge, 28 additional bridges and the rehabilitation of older structures along the route.
According to official estimates, the project could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 43 crore kg annually and generate approximately 132 lakh man-days of employment during implementation.
A cabinet note stated that enhanced line capacity under the multi-tracking proposals would boost operational efficiency, improve service reliability and help decongest heavily used corridors.
The approvals came during the final cabinet meeting chaired by Modi at the South Block office before government operations shifted to newly constructed administrative complexes, including Seva Teerth and Kartavya Bhavan. The cabinet also adopted a resolution marking the move from the colonial-era North and South Block buildings, describing the transition as a step toward modern infrastructure designed to improve administrative productivity.
