Overview
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave final approval to eight multitracking and doubling projects on Wednesday, Sept 9, 2026, with a combined estimated cost of ₹20,804 crore and immediate transition to implementation.
- The works will add about 1,196 km of track across nine states and 31 districts, and officials say they will improve connectivity for roughly 6,900 villages serving about 1.08 crore people.
- The government expects the projects to create roughly 74 million tonnes per annum of extra freight capacity and to lower logistics costs by shifting bulk traffic such as coal, cement, iron and steel from road to rail.
- Officials have set a target completion of 2029–30 and say pre-investment steps, aerial mapping, AI-backed land monitoring and Gati Shakti co‑ordination will speed execution and reduce land delays.
- The package is part of a broader rail push to relieve saturated corridors, boost regional industry and tourism, and cut oil consumption and CO2 emissions — outcomes that could ease import bills, unclog roads and reshape local supply chains.