The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved two railway multitracking projects in West Bengal and Jharkhand with a total investment of ₹4,474 crore to enhance rail capacity and improve connectivity in the region.
The projects involve the construction of fourth railway lines on the Sainthia-Pakur and Santragachi-Kharagpur sections, which are key routes for both passenger and freight movement. The projects will add about 192 km to the existing railway network and are expected to be completed by 2030-31.
The additional lines are aimed at increasing capacity on busy routes, easing congestion, and improving operational efficiency on the railway network. The projects will cover five districts across West Bengal and Jharkhand, strengthening regional connectivity.
The routes are important for transporting commodities such as coal, stone, dolomite, cement, gypsum, iron and steel, foodgrains, and petroleum products. Once completed, the capacity expansion is expected to enable additional freight traffic of around 31 million tonnes per annum, improving logistics efficiency and supporting economic activity in the region.
The projects have been planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan to strengthen multimodal connectivity and logistics infrastructure in the country.
