Indian Railways to expand seven high-density corridors to four tracks

The Indian Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a major expansion of the national rail network through ‘Mission 4-Track’. The initiative aims to convert seven high-density railway corridors into four-track systems, covering approximately 11,000 kilometers of track. These specific routes currently handle about 40 to 41 percent of the country’s total rail traffic.

Key corridors included in the plan are Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Howrah, Howrah-Chennai, Delhi-Chennai, and Chennai-Mumbai, among others. The project seeks to increase capacity for both passenger and freight trains, reduce delays, and improve the efficiency of moving goods between major industrial hubs.

Specific projects approved include a 367-kilometer fourth line in the Kharagpur-Jharsuguda section at a cost of 6,528 crore rupees, and a project to lay third and fourth lines between Arkonam and Renigunta covering 77 kilometers for 1,936 crore rupees. The expansion is expected to benefit approximately 5.6 million people across 4,790 villages in five states, including West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.