- Why in news
- The 109th meeting of the Network Planning Group under PM GatiShakti was held at DPIIT, with the release dated 25 February 2026. It evaluated two rail projects, one metro project and one airport project.
- What it is
- PM GatiShakti National Master Plan is a digital platform that brings many ministries onto one GIS-based map to plan infrastructure together. The Network Planning Group is the body that checks big infrastructure projects against its principles before they go ahead. It is housed in DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- Where NPG meets
- The meeting was held at DPIIT, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- What NPG checks
- Projects are checked for conformity with PM GatiShakti principles: integrated multimodal infrastructure, last-mile connectivity and a Whole of Government approach.
- Manikpur–Itarsi
- A third line of 518.532 km across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, linking northern and central India.
- Silchar airport
- A greenfield airport at Doloo, Silchar, Assam, proposed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, next to NH-27.
- Surat Metro extension
- A 4.4 km elevated extension of Corridor II from Saroli to the Mumbai–Ahmedabad HSR corridor, with three stations.
Don’t confuse with PM GatiShakti vs National Infrastructure Pipeline: GatiShakti is a planning and coordination platform for projects. The National Infrastructure Pipeline is a list of projects with investment estimates.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Joint planning across ministries cuts delays, duplication and cost overruns.
- Third lines and feeder links raise rail capacity and last-mile connectivity, lowering logistics costs.
Problems
- Land acquisition, forest and environmental clearances can still delay projects.
- NPG only appraises; funding and execution depend on the ministries and states.
Way forward
- Use the GIS platform for clearances and state-level coordination so approved projects are built on time.
- Track projects after appraisal to check that timelines and costs are met.
Put in your answer
Strategic rail capacity: The Jalandhar–Jammu third line is described as helping faster movement of defence personnel and supplies to border regions.
Multimodal integration: The Surat Metro extension is planned as a feeder to the Mumbai–Ahmedabad HSR, with metro–HSR links and feeder buses.
- 2022Mains GS2 · Q6Discuss how Gati-Shakti needs government and private sector coordination for connectivity.
- 2022Mains GS3 · Q1Explain why PPP is needed in infrastructure and its role in railway station redevelopment.
- 2019Mains GS2 · Q17Examine how cross-sector cooperation and partnership drive India's development process.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting infrastructure planning body; this meeting is routine project evaluation, so a card without a question.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.