What Happened
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved three multi-tracking railway projects at a total cost of approximately Rs 18,509 crore, adding about 389 km of new track across 12 districts in four states.
- The three projects are: Kasara-Manmad third and fourth lines (Maharashtra), Delhi-Ambala third and fourth lines (Delhi and Haryana, 194 km at Rs 5,983 crore), and Ballari-Hosapete third and fourth lines (Karnataka).
- The capacity augmentation is expected to handle additional freight traffic of 96 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum) and generate approximately 26.5 million man-days of direct employment during construction.
- The projects are expected to reduce oil imports by 22 crore litres and lower CO2 emissions by 111 crore kilograms annually by shifting freight from road to rail.
Static Topic Bridges
Railway Multi-Tracking — Concept and Capacity Augmentation
Multi-tracking refers to the construction of additional parallel railway lines alongside existing tracks to increase the line capacity of a railway section. Indian Railways uses a progression from single line to double line (doubling), and then to third and fourth lines (multi-tracking) as traffic demand grows. Congested routes operating at over 100% line capacity utilisation are prioritised for multi-tracking under the National Rail Plan.
- Indian Railways network: Over 68,000 route km, of which approximately 42,000 km is double/multi-line and the rest is single line
- Line capacity is measured as the number of trains (both passenger and freight) that can be scheduled on a section per day
- Multi-tracking addresses the "section capacity" bottleneck — the maximum number of trains a route segment can handle
- The National Rail Plan (NRP) 2030: Aims to create infrastructure by 2030 to meet traffic demand up to 2050; targets increasing rail's modal share in freight to 45% (from ~27%)
- Indian Railways classifies projects as "Super Critical" (capacity utilisation >150%), "Critical" (120-150%), and others for prioritisation
Connection to this news: All three approved routes (Kasara-Manmad, Delhi-Ambala, Ballari-Hosapete) are high-density corridors that currently operate near or above capacity, carrying essential commodities including coal, iron ore, steel, cement, and foodgrains. The addition of third and fourth lines will substantially relieve congestion.
Dedicated Freight Corridors and Rail Freight Economics
India's freight logistics cost (~14-18% of GDP) is significantly higher than the global average (~8%), largely because road transport handles approximately 65% of freight despite being 3-4 times more expensive per tonne-km than rail. Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) and multi-tracking of existing lines are the two primary strategies for increasing rail's freight share. The Eastern and Western DFCs are the backbone of this freight transformation.
- Eastern DFC: Ludhiana (Punjab) to Dankuni (West Bengal), ~1,875 km, primarily for coal traffic; nearly fully commissioned
- Western DFC: Dadri (Uttar Pradesh) to JNPT (Mumbai), ~1,506 km, primarily for container and port traffic
- Three additional DFCs identified: East Coast, East-West, and North-South corridors
- Rail freight revenue is critical for cross-subsidising passenger operations: freight accounts for roughly 65% of Indian Railways' revenue
- National Logistics Policy (2022) targets reducing logistics cost to ~8% of GDP, with rail freight enhancement as a key lever
- PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (2021) integrates 16 ministries for multimodal infrastructure planning
Connection to this news: The 96 MTPA additional freight capacity from these three projects complements the DFC network, addressing feeder routes that connect industrial centres to the main DFC trunk lines — particularly the Ballari-Hosapete route for iron ore and the Kasara-Manmad route connecting Mumbai's hinterland.
Green Transport — Rail vs Road Emissions and India's Climate Targets
Railways are among the most energy-efficient modes of land transport, producing approximately one-fifth the CO2 emissions per tonne-km compared to road freight. Indian Railways has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 through 100% electrification, renewable energy adoption, and modal shift of freight from road to rail. This aligns with India's broader climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.
- Indian Railways' net-zero target: 2030 (one of the world's first major railways to set such a target)
- Railway electrification: Over 95% of broad-gauge routes electrified as of 2025; target is 100%
- India's NDC (updated August 2022): 45% reduction in emissions intensity by 2030 (from 2005 levels), 50% non-fossil fuel installed power capacity by 2030
- Rail emits ~15 grams of CO2 per tonne-km vs ~70-80 grams for road freight
- Panchamrit commitments (COP26, 2021): India's five climate pledges including net-zero by 2070 and 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030
Connection to this news: The projected reduction of 22 crore litres of oil imports and 111 crore kg of CO2 emissions annually from these three projects directly contributes to Indian Railways' 2030 net-zero target and India's broader NDC commitments under the Paris Agreement.
Key Facts & Data
- Total cost of three projects: ~Rs 18,509 crore
- Total new track: ~389 km across 12 districts in 4 states (Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka)
- Delhi-Ambala: 194 km, Rs 5,983 crore, 4-year completion timeline, 29 bridges, 132 lakh man-days employment
- Additional freight capacity: 96 MTPA
- Total employment: ~26.5 million man-days (direct)
- Environmental impact: 22 crore litres reduction in oil imports, 111 crore kg reduction in CO2 annually
- Villages benefiting: ~3,902 with combined population of ~97 lakh
- Key commodities served: Coal, steel, iron ore, cement, limestone, bauxite, containers, foodgrains, fertilisers
- Tourist destinations connected: Hampi (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga, Bhavli Dam, Ballari Fort