The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved sections of electrification and doubling of railway tracks in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It also approved a National Highway (NH) between Dwarka and Porbandar in Gujarat, where elections are due later this year.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the construction of electrified third line of 160 km between Manmad-Jalgaon in Maharashtra at an estimated cost of Rs 1035.16 crore. “Construction of third line will greatly ease the ever increasing passenger and freight traffic on Manmad-Jalgaon route thereby increasing the revenue of the Railways. Jalgaon and Nashik districts of Maharashtra will be covered in this route.
Manmad-Jalgaon section caters to the traffic of Delhi-Mumbai and Kolkata-Mumbai corridors. Two double line tracks from Wardha and Itarsi, respectively, converge at Bhusawal. Work of third and fourth line in Jalgaon-Bhusawal section is already under progress. Operations on the section have already reached to saturation. The third line between Manmad-Jalgaon section is imperative and inescapable, the Government stated.
The Cabinet also approved construction of electrified doubling line between Phephana-Indara and Mau-Shahganj in Uttar Pradesh totaling 150 km at an estimated cost of Rs 1,028.95 crore. The doubling of these lines will remove the pressure over the congested North Central Railway route by providing an alternative route. The Cabinet also sanctioned the construction of double line with electrification of 402 km between Guntur-Guntakal in Andhra Pradesh at an anticipated cost of Rs 3,631 crore which will be funded through cost sharing of 50:50 by the State Government and the Ministry of Railways.
The project fulfils the commitment given in the Andhra Pradesh Bifurcation Act regarding increased rail connectivity to the Rayalaseema region to the Amravati, the capital of Andhra Pradesh.
The Government also approved a Rs 1,959-crore project for upgrading Porbandar-Dwarka section on NH8E in Gujarat. The total length of the road to be developed is approximately 118 kms.
The development of this stretch will also help in uplifting the socio-economic condition of this region in the State. It will also increase employment potential for local labourers for project activities, the statement said, adding that it has been estimated that a total number of 4,076 man-days are required for construction of one kilometre of highway.