Railway Infrastructure Projects under PM Gati Shakti Plan | 04 Jun 2025
Why in News?
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved two major railway infrastructure projects in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, with a combined estimated cost of ₹3,399 crore, under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
Key Points
- About the Railway Projects:
- The projects will span approximately 176 kilometers, covering four districts across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
- They are scheduled for completion by the fiscal year 2029–30.
- These projects aim to boost connectivity, streamline the movement of passengers and freight, and foster regional development.
- The projects align with the vision of a “New India” by promoting regional development and boosting employment to make local communities self-reliant (Atmanirbhar).
- Impact on Villages and Local Economy:
- The expanded railway capacity is expected to benefit 784 villages, directly impacting a population of nearly 19.74 lakh people.
- The corridors are crucial for transporting key commodities like coal, cement, clinker, gypsum, fly ash, containers, agricultural produce, and petroleum products.
- The initiative will create both skilled and unskilled job opportunities, contributing to rural livelihoods.
- Freight Capacity and Economic Benefits:
- The projects are projected to handle an additional freight load of 18.40 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).
- Enhanced freight movement will help optimize supply chains, reduce logistics costs, and accelerate economic growth in the region.
- Environmental Impact:
- The new railway lines are expected to reduce oil imports by 20 crore litres.
- They will also cut CO₂ emissions by 99 crore kilograms, which is equivalent to planting 4 crore trees.
- This aligns with India’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure and a low-carbon economy.
PM GatiShakti National Master Plan
- About:
- The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, launched in October 2021 is a transformative Rs. 100 lakh crore initiative aimed at revolutionising India’s infrastructure over the next five years.
- It has been developed as a Digital Master Planning tool by BISAG-N (Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics).
- It has been prepared in a dynamic Geographic Information System (GIS) platform wherein data on specific action plans of all the Ministries/Departments have been incorporated within a comprehensive database.
- The plan seeks to accelerate project completion, reduce timelines, and enhance India’s global competitiveness by breaking down inter-ministerial obstacles.
- The vision of PM GatiShakti is to create a world-class infrastructure that improves the ease of living, boosts economic growth and makes Indian businesses more competitive.
- Key Features:
- Digital Integration: It is a digital platform designed to integrate the efforts of 16 ministries, ensuring seamless infrastructure planning and execution across sectors.
- Multi-Sector Collaboration: The platform incorporates infrastructure initiatives from several major programs, including Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry ports, and UDAN.
- Economic Zones: Focuses on developing key economic areas such as textile clusters, pharmaceutical hubs, defence corridors, and agricultural zones to boost economic productivity.
- Use of Technology: Advanced spatial planning tools and ISRO satellite imagery, developed by BiSAG-N, provide data-driven insights for project planning and management.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)
- It is chaired by the Prime Minister and sets priorities for public sector investments.
- It continuously reviews economic trends to develop an integrated economic policy framework and oversees policies and activities in the economic field, including foreign investment, requiring high-level decisions.