The central government has approved a series of major infrastructure projects worth approximately Rs 58,171 crore, covering railways, highways, a strategic tunnel project and support for startups.
The approvals were cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). Addressing the media, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the projects will improve connectivity, accelerate freight movement, reduce logistics costs and create large-scale employment.
The most significant approvals relate to railway expansion. The Ministry of Railways will undertake three multi-tracking projects at a cost of Rs 18,509 crore. These include adding third and fourth lines on the Delhi-Ambala, Kasara-Manmad and Ballari-Hospet sections.
The Delhi-Ambala route is considered a crucial corridor for northern India, connecting long-distance trains to Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh. The additional lines are expected to increase train frequency, reduce delays and ease congestion.
The projects will expand the network by nearly 389 kilometres across 12 districts in Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Improved connectivity will benefit around 3,902 villages and an estimated population of 97 lakh.
Officials said the construction phase will generate around 26.5 million man-days of employment. The enhanced freight capacity is expected to reduce oil imports by 220 million litres and cut carbon emissions by 1.11 billion kilograms.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has also received approval for three highway projects worth over Rs 11,079 crore.
In Maharashtra, NH-160A will be upgraded to ease traffic congestion in Nashik and nearby industrial regions. In Gujarat, NH-56 will be expanded to four lanes, reducing travel time by around 40 per cent. Meanwhile, widening NH-167 in Telangana will strengthen the Hyderabad-Panaji Economic Corridor.
The government has also approved the Rs 10,000 crore “Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0” to support innovation-driven enterprises. The initiative aims to provide capital to startups, particularly in smaller cities, enabling emerging entrepreneurs to access investment opportunities.
In a major boost to connectivity in the Northeast, the government has approved the country’s first road-cum-rail tunnel under the Brahmaputra River in Assam. The project, estimated at Rs 18,662 crore, will connect Gohpur and Numaligarh.
The greenfield project will span approximately 33 kilometres, including a 15.79-kilometre tunnel section. Once completed, it is expected to significantly reduce the current six-hour travel time between the two locations and enhance strategic and economic connectivity in the northeastern region.
The tunnel project alone is projected to generate nearly 80 lakh man-days of employment.
Officials described the combined approvals as a major push toward large-scale infrastructure expansion and advancing the goal of a self-reliant India.