New Delhi, February 9 The Ministry of Railways announced on Monday that a comprehensive set of rail infrastructure projects has been approved, aimed at eliminating congestion, enhancing line capacity, improving safety systems, and enabling faster, more reliable passenger and freight movement across the country.
In a press statement, the ministry said that these approvals cover Southern, Northern, and South Eastern Railways, including line doubling, the construction of third and fourth lines, bypass corridors, and advanced electronic interlocking systems.
"The Barbenda–Damrughutu doubling and Damrughutu–Bokaro Steel City 3rd & 4th Lines in Jharkhand are major capacity expansion projects under South Eastern Railway and are a cornerstone of India's Energy, Mineral, and Cement Corridor," the statement said.
It added, "Currently, the line operates at 108% utilization, with train delays ranging between 90-150 minutes, handling 78 (38 passenger and 40 freight) trains daily, and supporting a freight throughput of 35.22 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum)."
Highlighting the approval for electronic interlocking (EI) at 34 stations at a cost of ₹421.41 crore across Northern Railway routes, where Kavach is being implemented, the ministry said that it will enhance safety and operational efficiency.
"This includes 21 stations in the Delhi Division at a cost of ₹292.24 crore and 13 stations in the Ambala Division costing ₹129.17 crore," the ministry said.
According to the ministry, the approval for the Rajpura bypass line (13.46 km) under Northern Railway, costing ₹411.96 crore, will significantly enhance capacity and operational efficiency on the Ambala–Jalandhar section, one of the busiest corridors on Northern Railway.
The press note outlined two doubling projects – Alappuzha–Ambalapuzha doubling (12.66 km) at a cost of ₹324.16 crore in Kerala and Irugur–Podanur doubling (10.77 km) costing ₹277.42 crore in Tamil Nadu – saying that it will significantly improve line capacity and freight operations.
Emphasising the benefits of another bypass project, Palakkad Town-Parli Bypass Line (1.80 km) worth ₹163.57 crore, the ministry said that it will provide immediate operational and passenger benefits by eliminating engine reversal at Palakkad Junction in Kerala for multiple train services.
"This will reduce the average detention of passenger trains by 40-44 minutes and cut freight detention by up to 120 minutes per train, while also supporting additional passenger services planned from Palakkad Junction," the statement said.
"By streamlining train movements, the bypass will significantly improve punctuality on routes connecting Shoranur, Thiruvananthapuram, and Pollachi, while easing congestion at one of Southern Railway's busiest junctions," it added.