Network Planning Group under PM GatiShakti recommends four infra projects in its meeting

These projects will be developed in tandem with the PM GatiShakti principles using the integrated and holistic approach, according to a statement from the ministry of commerce and industry. These projects will also provide multimodal connectivity, seamless movement of goods and passengers as well as increase logistics efficiency across the country.

The meeting, held on Sunday, was chaired by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Logistics Division Special Secretary Sumita Dawra.

Senior officials from the department of telecommunication; ministry of environment, forest and climate change; ministry of railways; ministry of ports, shipping and waterways; ministry of civil aviation; ministry of Power, NITI Aayog, ministry of road transport and highways, ministry of petroleum and natural Gas and ministry of new and renewable energy, were present in the meeting.

A project by the ministry of railways for the construction of a broad-gauge double line between Sawai Madhopur and Jaipur in Rajasthan state was examined by the NPG. The project spans about 131 km from Sawai Madhopur to Jaipur and is deemed to be a significant infrastructure initiative.

Upon completion, the project is expected to improve the line capacity to 71 per cent without maintenance block and 80 per cent with maintenance block by the year 2026-27, according to a statement from the ministry of commerce and industry.

The Jaipur-Sawai Madhopur route serves as a feeder to the Delhi-Mumbai route, and it represents the primary conduit connecting Jaipur, its environs, and Mumbai, southern and eastern parts of India. The proposed project would help alleviate congestion in the existing single-line network, resulting in uninterrupted traffic flow.

Further, NPG has evaluated a project proposed by the ministry of railways for the construction of a new broad-gauge line between Anand Nagar Ghughuli and Maharajganj on Northeastern Railway in Uttar Pradesh. The proposed project spans 53 km from Anand Nagar.

The project is expected to enhance the economic development of the region by providing a direct broad-gauge line to the project area. The new line would serve as an alternate and shorter route for trains travelling from Valmikinagar to Gonda via Maharajganj without having to stop at Gorakhpur Junction, according to the statement from the ministry of commerce and industry.

Passengers would benefit from this as the only transportation currently available in this section is by road. Additionally, the railway line is expected to facilitate the movement of cement, fertiliser, coal, and foodgrains. Moreover, the railway line would enable freight movement to Nepal.

Another project by the railways for the construction of new broad-gauge line between Junagarh and Nabarangpur station in Odisha state was examined by the NPG.

The proposed project spans about 116 km from Junagarh to Nabarangpur. The construction of this new line is expected to reduce the distance from Bailadela iron ore mines to various steel plants in the Raipur region by 131 km.

Additionally, it is anticipated that the project would facilitate the logistics of steel plant, and goods sheds at Junagarh Road, Jeypore, Koraput, and other goods sheds on the RV line, which are the points of multi-modal logistics, according to the ministry.

The ministry of commerce and industry said this new line would provide an alternative route for the movement of coal from Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, and Kakinada ports to various steel plants in the Raipur region. The provision of road-rail intermodal logistics is expected to enhance traffic to goods sheds at Jeypore, Junagarh Road, and Nabarangpur.

Last project by the ministry of railways was for the provision of automatic block signalling on freight dense high utilisation network on Western Railway. The project aims to cover 895 route kilometre (RKM) and four major sections of Western Railway in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

According to the statement, the benefit of the project includes enhanced line capacity and section speed to 130 kmph from 110 kmph that is likely to lead to cost reduction for the Railways and increase the overall logistics efficiency. This will result in a reduction of train detention and travel time, especially in the Udhna-Jalgaon, Ahmedabad-Palanpur, Ahmedabad-Viramgam-Samakhiyali, and Viramgam-Rajkot sections. (ANI)