The Union Cabinet has approved multi-tracking projects with a combined cost of Rs 7927 crore to further improve railway connectivity. These projects will ease travel, reduce transportation costs, reduce oil imports and help reduce carbon emissions. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav informed about the decisions of the cabinet.
This will help in establishing a more efficient and environment friendly rail network which includes four lanes from Manmad to Jalgaon. It will be 160 kilometers long. Its cost will be Rs 2,773 crore. Apart from this, the third and fourth lines from Bhusaval to Khandwa have been approved, which will be 131 km long. Its cost will be Rs 3,514 crore. In this sequence, an 84 km long third line will be laid from Iradatganj to Manikpur in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Its cost will be Rs 1,640 crore.
The proposed projects will enhance connectivity on the Mumbai-Prayagraj-Varanasi route by enabling operation of additional passenger trains, thereby facilitating pilgrims visiting the Jyotirlingas at Nashik (Trimbakeshwar), Khandwa (Omkareshwar) and Varanasi (Kashi Vishwanath) as well as Prayagraj, Chitrakoot. Those traveling to Gaya and Shirdi will also benefit. Additionally, these projects will boost tourism through better access to various attractions like Khajuraho, Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Devagiri Fort, Asirgarh Fort, Rewa Fort, Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary, Koti Falls and Purva Falls etc.