Indian Railways approves major rail expansion projects

Indian Railways has approved two major infrastructure projects to expand passenger and freight capacity in Maharashtra and Telangana.

First, the Central Railway will undertake the doubling of the 10.86 km Chouk-Karjat section at a cost of Rs 497 crore. This project, which includes doubling, tripling, quadrupling, and flyover works, is intended to facilitate five additional passenger trains in each direction daily and support 18.35 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of freight traffic.

Second, the South Central Railway has approved the construction of a 38.21 km new rail line between Mukutban (Adilabad) and Gadchandur at a cost of Rs 493 crore. This line will connect important industrial and mining centers, including cement plants and coal mines operated by Western Coalfields Ltd. The new route is expected to support 6.08 MTPA of freight, including coal, coke, cement, and iron, while providing an alternative to the congested Wardha-Manikgarh and Balharshah-Nagpur routes.