Hyderabad / New Delhi: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Union Cabinet has approved eight major new railway lines. These new lines will connect Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha, creating additional rail corridors to northern and eastern India. This project is expected to speed up coal deliveries to thermal plants in Southern India and improve connectivity for aluminum and iron ore industries. Additionally, the railway line will offer a wider market for agricultural products from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Minister Vaishnaw also mentioned that the land allocation for the Visakhapatnam railway zone is underway. He is working closely with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister Ramohan Naidu to expedite this process. The Andhra Pradesh government is prepared to allocate new land for the project, as the previously selected land is at risk of flooding during heavy rains.
The minister highlighted that the central government has allocated a record Rs 2,65,000 crore for railway development this year. Over 1,300 stations are being redeveloped, and plans are in place to add more than 5,000 kilometers of tracks annually, which averages to about 14.5 kilometers per day. The plan also includes the production of more than 1,200 locomotives and over 6,000 coaches each year.
Under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, these new railway projects are part of an energy, mineral, and cement corridor. The eight projects span seven states: Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana, and West Bengal. They will pass through 510 villages and 14 districts, benefiting over 20 million people. The railways are expected to handle an additional cargo of more than 140 million tons per year. A new rail corridor parallel to India’s eastern coast will also be developed, connecting cities like Warangal, Bhadrachalam, Jeypore, Titlagarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Tatanagar, and Asansol.
