Indian Railways has approved a series of infrastructure projects worth over ₹1,200 crore aimed at enhancing rail capacity, improving freight movement, strengthening safety systems and upgrading urban transport infrastructure across Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.
The projects include the doubling of a key railway section in Gujarat, construction of a new freight chord line in Maharashtra, modernization of signalling systems on Eastern Railway and rebuilding of a major road over bridge in Indore. Together, the initiatives are expected to improve operational efficiency, decongest critical rail corridors, enhance passenger convenience and support economic growth.
₹493 Crore Adipur-Bhuj Doubling Project Approved in Gujarat
In a boost to rail connectivity in the Kutch region, Indian Railways has approved the doubling of the 49-km Adipur-Bhuj section on Western Railway at an estimated cost of ₹493 crore.
The project is part of the Railways’ ongoing capacity augmentation programme and is expected to cater to rising passenger and freight traffic generated by several infrastructure projects currently under development in the region, including the Bhuj-Naliya gauge conversion and new rail links connecting Naliya, Jakhau, Lakhpat and Luna.
The doubled line is expected to facilitate the operation of two additional passenger train services in each direction every day and support the movement of an additional 12 million tonnes of freight annually. Railway officials said the project would help decongest the corridor, improve operational efficiency and strengthen logistics connectivity in western Gujarat.
Maharashtra Gets New Freight Corridor to Ease Panvel Congestion
Indian Railways has also approved the construction of the 3.7-km Somtane-Chikhli Chord Line on Central Railway at a cost of ₹172 crore.
The new line will establish a direct rail connection between the Karjat and Roha routes, allowing freight trains to bypass the heavily congested Panvel Junction. At present, freight trains serving the Jawaharlal Nehru Port require engine reversals and additional operational movements through Panvel, resulting in delays and congestion.
The chord line is expected to reduce freight train detention by nearly 110 minutes per trip and facilitate the movement of an additional nine million tonnes of freight annually. The project is expected to significantly improve logistics efficiency and strengthen connectivity to the country’s busiest container port.
₹405 Crore Signalling Upgrade to Enhance Railway Safety
In a major modernization initiative, Indian Railways has sanctioned a ₹405 crore signalling upgradation project on Eastern Railway.
The project involves replacing ageing relay-based interlocking systems with advanced Electronic Interlocking technology at 32 locations, including 25 stations and seven intermediate block signalling points located on high-density and highly utilized railway routes.
The Ministry of Railways said the upgrade would significantly improve reliability, reduce signalling failures and enable faster fault detection and restoration. The modern signalling infrastructure will also support future technologies such as Kavach, Automatic Block Signalling and Centralised Traffic Control.
The project is expected to strengthen safety standards while ensuring smoother train operations on some of the busiest corridors in the country.
Indore’s Shastriya Bridge to Be Rebuilt at ₹139 Crore
To improve urban mobility and rail-road connectivity in Madhya Pradesh, Indian Railways has approved the reconstruction of the Shastriya Road Over Bridge (ROB) in Indore Yard at a cost of ₹139 crore.
The project includes construction of a modern four-lane bridge featuring a 72-metre camel-back superstructure, along with six-metre-wide service roads on both sides to facilitate local traffic movement.
In addition to the bridge reconstruction, the project includes relocation and modernization of sewer infrastructure, installation of new electrical systems and other utility upgrades.
The Ministry said the rebuilt bridge would reduce traffic congestion, improve commuter safety and strengthen integration between urban transportation and railway infrastructure in Indore.
Strengthening India’s Rail Network
The approvals reflect Indian Railways’ continued focus on building future-ready infrastructure through capacity enhancement, technological modernization and improved multimodal connectivity.
With investments totaling approximately ₹1,209 crore, the projects are expected to strengthen passenger services, boost freight transportation, improve safety standards and support economic development across multiple regions of the country.
The Ministry said the initiatives form part of a broader strategy to expand network capacity, enhance operational efficiency and create a more reliable and modern railway system capable of meeting India’s growing transportation and logistics requirements.
