The 86th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG), chaired by E Srinivas, Joint Secretary of DPIIT, reviewed four critical infrastructure projects under the PM GatiShakti initiative. The meeting focused on improving multimodal infrastructure and enhancing connectivity to economic and social hubs while ensuring synchronized implementation.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry highlighted the socio-economic benefits of these projects, emphasizing their potential to boost logistical efficiency, reduce travel time, and strengthen India’s infrastructure network.
Two railway projects were evaluated. The Vadodara-Ratlam quadrupling project (258.94 km) will ease congestion on Western Railway’s busiest corridor by adding two new lines, enhancing freight and passenger capacity, and connecting industrial and port hubs. The second project, the Murarai-Barharwa third line (48.9 km) in West Bengal and Jharkhand, aims to reduce congestion and improve logistics efficiency.
In the road sector, the NPG assessed the Tikamgarh-Badagon-Ghuwara-Shahgarh upgrade (80.70 km) on NH-539 in Madhya Pradesh, designed to enhance inter-state connectivity and support agricultural and tourism activities. Additionally, a greenfield four-lane highway from Sultanpur to Ayodhya (65 km) in Uttar Pradesh will bypass urban congestion and ensure smoother traffic flow.
These projects are set to play a pivotal role in boosting regional economies and achieving seamless connectivity across India.
