Archive · 10 Sep 2026
Cabinet Approves Rs 20,804 Crore Railway Projects Across Nine States
India’s Cabinet approved eight projects to add more railway tracks.
The projects will cost about Rs 20,800 crore or Rs 20,804 crore, according to the reports.
They will be built across nine states.
Together, they will add about 1,196 kilometres to the railway network.
Five projects in southern India will add about 540 kilometres.
One of these will add tracks between Ghatkesar and Kazipet in Telangana.
Three other projects will be built across West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
The government says the tracks will help trains move more smoothly and carry more passengers and goods.
The projects are expected to be completed by 2029-30.
The Cabinet approved eight railway multitracking projects across nine states, with reported costs of Rs 20,800 crore to Rs 20,804 crore.
The projects will add about 1,196 kilometres to the Indian Railways network and are targeted for completion by 2029-30.
Five southern projects worth around Rs 10,021 crore will add about 540 kilometres across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana.
The southern projects include new lines between Ghatkesar and Kazipet, Arakkonam and Renigunta, and Whitefield and Bangarapet.
Three projects in eastern and central India will add about 656 kilometres and improve freight routes carrying coal, cement, iron and steel.
- Who
- The Union Cabinet, through the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the projects.
- What
- Approval of eight railway multitracking projects with a combined estimated cost reported as Rs 20,800 crore or Rs 20,804 crore.
- When
- The approval was announced on Wednesday, with completion targeted for 2029-30.
- Where
- Across nine states: Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
- Why
- To ease congestion, improve train movement and service reliability, expand passenger and freight capacity, and strengthen rail connectivity.
- Number of projects
- Eight multitracking projects
- Total cost
- Rs 20,804 crore in one report; Rs 20,800 crore in another
- Network expansion
- About 1,196 kilometres
- States covered
- Nine states
- Southern projects
- Five projects worth around Rs 10,021 crore, adding about 540 kilometres
- Remaining projects
- Three projects worth Rs 10,783 crore, adding about 656 kilometres
- Completion target
- 2029-30
- Estimated coverage
- 31 districts and around 6,911 villages with nearly 1.08 crore people
