New Delhi: The Network Planning Group under the PM GatiShakti initiative evaluated seven key rail and road projects in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to ascertain progress and ensure that they comply with norms of the initiative and enhance multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency, a ministry of commerce and industry said on Tuesday.

Benefits 

These projects evaluated on 24 October are expected to ease traffic congestion, reduce travel times, boost logistical efficiency, and provide socio-economic benefits to the regions they connect, as per the statement.

The group assessed two road projects in Uttar Pradesh to be completed by the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH). Both projects are expected to increase efficiency in freight movement, and provide easy access to economic zones, the press release said. 

One will connect a corridor of Prayagraj-Jaunpur-Azamgarh-Dohrighat-Gorakhpur Road in the country’s most populous state, integrating greenfield and brownfield sections, as per the press release. This road is expected to align to regional needs, and MoRTH will complete the land acquisition swiftly, the release said.

The other, the Ghazipur-Syed Raja Road Section, will be connected to the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFCCIL), local railway stations like Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Ghazipur City, and air links through Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in Varanasi. 

Additionally, the Varanasi Inland Waterway Terminal via NH-19 provides an alternative cargo route, optimizing logistics under the PM GatiShakti framework to streamline trade and reduce logistics costs in the region, the press statement said.

Two railway lines in Jharkhand aim to increase coal transporting capacity in the country. The cumulative effect of these projects will be the doubling of the Koderma-Arigada and Shivpur-Kathautia Rail Lines, spanning 133.38 km and 49.08 km respectively.

The Tirupati-Katpadi Double Line in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which spans over 100 km, passes through key industrial clusters, includes two industrial parks near Renigunta (approx. 15 km from Tirupati) and a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) (85 km from Tirupati), the press statement said. 

The SEZ is a significant industrial hub, hosting numerous export-oriented units, while Renigunta’s proximity to the granite industry near Chittoor provides opportunities for improved freight logistics. Additionally, this project increases access to ports such as Krishnapatnam (104 km from Tirupati) and Chennai Port (140 km from Tirupati) and facilitating faster movement of goods and passengers to support tourism and local industries.

The other rail projects in Odisha will further the government’s “Mission 3000 MT” target by aiming to double coal transport capacity by 2027. The two projects – Jharsuguda to Sason 3rd & 4th lines Rail Line, and the Sambalpur to Jarapada Rail Line 3rd & 4th lines – in the eastern state will connect the industrial corridor with the Paradip and Dhamra ports, bolstering the regional energy corridor.

“Upon completion, these projects will significantly contribute to India’s infrastructure landscape, ensuring that the advantages of seamless connectivity extend to every region. By strengthening multimodal transport systems and addressing critical infrastructure gaps, these initiatives align with the Government’s vision for integrated and sustainable development,” the press statement said.