The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved two major railway doubling projects at a combined cost of ₹6,405 crore, under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan. Together, these works will add 318 km of track across Jharkhand, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
In Jharkhand, the 133 km Koderma–Barkakana line will be doubled, enhancing the key coal corridor and shortening travel time between Patna and Ranchi. In the south, the 185 km Ballari–Chikjajur line, spanning Ballari and Chitradurga in Karnataka and Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh will also see a second track, easing congestion and boosting freight and passenger capacity.
Construction is expected to generate around 10.8 million man-days of employment and improve rail access for 1,408 villages (approximately 2.8 million residents). The upgraded routes will handle an additional 49 million tonnes of goods annually transporting coal, steel, cement, fertilisers and more, while reducing India’s oil imports by about 52 crore litres and cutting CO₂ emissions by 264 crore kilograms, equivalent to planting 11 crore trees. These projects advance India’s goals of infrastructure modernisation, sustainable growth and an Atmanirbhar Bharat.
