- Why in news
- On 9 September 2026, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved three railway multitracking projects costing Rs. 10,783 crore across five states. They add about 656 km to the network and are to be completed by 2029-30.
- Cost and timeline
- Total estimated cost is Rs. 10,783 crore, with completion planned up to 2029-30.
- Coverage
- The projects span 14 districts in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, adding about 656 km to the network.
- Freight gain
- Capacity augmentation will add freight traffic of 27 million tonnes per annum, mainly coal, cement, and iron and steel.
- Planning framework
- The projects are planned on the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which focuses on multi-modal connectivity and logistics efficiency.
- Environmental claim
- The release claims savings of about 12 crore litres of oil imports and 62 crore kg of CO2 emissions, equal to planting 2.48 crore trees.
Don’t confuse with Multitracking vs. Dedicated Freight Corridor: Multitracking adds lines on existing routes shared by all trains. Dedicated Freight Corridors are separate new tracks built only for freight.
Don’t confuse with Doubling vs. third/fourth line: Doubling converts a single line to two lines. Third and fourth lines add to routes that already have two, to ease congestion.
Economy terms and data: 42 Prelims questions since 2013, rising in recent years; they test what a term or instrument means. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.
Why it matters
- Added line capacity eases congestion on coal and steel routes and cuts logistics cost.
- Rail shifts freight from road, lowering oil imports and emissions.
Problems
- Land acquisition and forest or wildlife clearances can delay projects, as routes pass near tiger reserves.
- Cost and time overruns are common in large railway projects.
Way forward
- Use the Gati Shakti platform to settle land and clearance issues before work starts.
- Add wildlife mitigation measures and track progress against the 2029-30 deadline.
Put in your answer
PM Gati Shakti: Example of integrated infrastructure planning for multi-modal connectivity and lower logistics cost.
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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 topic, but project lists give few testable facts. Cabinet approval of routine railway lines is rarely set in Prelims.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.