Lucknow: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday approved a Rs 14,926 crore railway expansion project for the third and fourth lines between Ghaziabad and Sitapur, aimed at significantly enhancing capacity on the crucial corridor.The 403-km Ghaziabad–Sitapur section is an existing double-line route and forms a vital part of the Delhi-Guwahati High Density Network (HDN-4), which links Northern and Eastern India.Officials claim the existing double line section is currently operating far beyond its capacity, with utilization already at 168% and expected to rise to 207% if expansion is not undertaken. The project is aimed at easing congestion, improving connectivity between northern and eastern India, and ensuring smoother passenger and freight movement.The proposed third and fourth lines will pass through key districts including Ghaziabad, Hapur, Amroha, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri and Sitapur. The corridor connects major industrial centres such as Ghaziabad, known for machinery, electronics and pharmaceuticals; Moradabad, a hub of brassware and handicrafts; Bareilly, with furniture, textile and engineering units; Shahjahanpur, home to carpet and cement-related industries; and Roza, which houses a thermal power plant.To ensure smoother and faster movement of trains, the project alignment has been planned to bypass heavily congested stations at Hapur, Simbhaoli, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur and Sitapur. Six new stations are proposed on these bypass sections.The route also serves several prominent religious and tourist destinations, including Dudheshwarnath Temple, Garhmukteshwar Ganga Ghat, Dargah Shah Wilayat Jama Masjid in Amroha and Naimisharanya in Sitapur.According to the railway, project is expected to generate additional freight traffic of 35.72 million tonnes per annum, primarily comprising coal, foodgrains, chemical fertilisers and finished steel. It is projected to create employment of 274 lakh human-days, save logistics costs of Rs 2,877.46 crore annually compared to road transport, and reduce carbon emissions by about 128.77 crore kg, equivalent to planting 5.15 crore trees.
