Nagpur: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved three railway multitracking projects worth Rs 9,000 crore which are expected to improve connectivity to over 5,000 villages with population of almost 1 crore. One of these three projects — Gondia-Jabalpur track doubling — will open up access to prominent tourist and wildlife destinations in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The approved Gondia-Jabalpur doubling will improve rail connectivity to Kanha National Park in Balaghat and Pench National Park, two prominent tiger reserves in central India. The capacity enhancement is also expected to improve rail access to Kachnar Shiv Temple in Jabalpur, Dhuandhar waterfall and Bargi Dam. The Gondia-Jabalpur route is also a key corridor for transportation of coal, steel, iron ore, cement, manganese, fertilizers and foodgrains. The three projects together are expected to generate additional freight traffic of 52 million tonnes per annum. The approval covers eight districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. The three projects are to be completed by 2030-31. The other two projects approved are the Punarakh-Kiul 3rd and 4th line and the Gamharia-Chandil 3rd and 4th line, covering Bihar and Jharkhand.The projects are planned under the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan. The capacity augmentation is projected to reduce oil imports by six crore litres and lower CO2 emissions by 30 crore kg annually.The two Bihar and Jharkhand projects will improve rail connectivity to tourist destinations including Chandil Dam, Dalma Hill Top, Hesakocha Waterfall, Raijama Ghati, Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary and Gangulpara Dam and Waterfall. These routes also serve movement of coal, steel, fly ash and limestone.
