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.