Cabinet approves three multitracking projects covering 8 Districts across the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, increasing the existing network of Indian Railways by about 307 Kms

1. At a Glance

CCEA approval (24 Feb 2026) of three Ministry of Railways multi-tracking projects worth Rs 9,072 crore, adding ~307 km to the network across 8 districts in Maharashtra, MP, Bihar and Jharkhand [S1][S2].
Projects: Gondia–Jabalpur doubling, Punarakh–Kiul 3rd & 4th line, Gamharia–Chandil 3rd & 4th line; completion target 2030-31 [S1].
Examinable as an Infrastructure / PM Gati Shakti case study (GS-III) — capacity augmentation, modal-shift to rail, decarbonisation [S2].

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approval on 24 February 2026 under PM Modi [S1][S2].

Part of a continuing CCEA pipeline of multi-tracking sanctions: 7 projects/2,339 km (Aug 2023, Rs 32,500 cr); 6 projects (Feb 2024); 4 projects/894 km (Mar 2025); 2 projects/318 km in JH/KA/AP (2024); etc. [S2].
Aligned to PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (launched 13 Oct 2021) for integrated multi-modal infrastructure planning [S1].

Approving body: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) [S1].
Executing ministry: Ministry of Railways [S1].
Total cost: Rs 9,072 crore [S1].
Length added: ~307 km; 8 districts; 4 states (Maharashtra, MP, Bihar, Jharkhand) [S1].
Projects:
Gondia–Jabalpur Doubling — ~231 km, ~Rs 5,236 cr (Maharashtra + MP) [S3].
Punarakh–Kiul 3rd & 4th line (Bihar) [S1].
Gamharia–Chandil 3rd & 4th line (Jharkhand) [S1].
Coverage: ~5,407 villages, population ~98 lakh [S2].
Incremental freight capacity: 52 MTPA [S1].
Commodities: coal, steel, iron ore, cement, fly ash, fertilizers, limestone, manganese, dolomite, foodgrains, POL [S1].
Green dividend: oil import saving ~6 crore litres; CO₂ avoidance ~30 crore kg (≈ 1 crore trees) [S2].
Deadline: 2030-31 [S1].

Economic: Reduces logistics cost (India's ~13% of GDP vs ~8% OECD); 52 MTPA freight capacity supports steel/coal/cement corridors of east-central India [S1].
Environmental: Rail's per-tonne-km emissions ~1/4 of road; sanctioned saving ~30 cr kg CO₂; aligns with Panchamrit / Net-Zero 2070 commitments [S2].
Administrative / Federal: PM Gati Shakti's integrated planning supersedes earlier silo-based rail sanctioning; states benefit through tourism, mining and industrial linkages (Pench NP, Dhuandhar Falls connectivity) [S1][S2].
Strategic / Regional: Strengthens Aspirational Districts in Jharkhand (Chandil-Gamharia mineral belt) and Bihar (Kiul jn., key for Jhajha–Kiul section of Eastern Railway) [S1].
Social: Connectivity to 5,407 villages / 98 lakh population — enhances market access and mobility for tribal/mining belts [S2].

Feb 2026: Present approval — 3 projects, 307 km [S1].
2025 (Mar): 4 projects, 894 km (MH, MP, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh) [S2].
2024: 2 projects, 318 km (JH, KA, AP); 6 multi-tracking projects sanctioned earlier [S2].
Aug 2023: 7 projects, 2,339 km, Rs 32,500 cr [S2].

CCEA, not Union Cabinet plenary, cleared the projects [S1].
Total outlay: Rs 9,072 crore; length 307 km; 8 districts, 4 states [S1].
Three projects: Gondia–Jabalpur (doubling), Punarakh–Kiul (3rd+4th line), Gamharia–Chandil (3rd+4th line) [S1].
Completion year: 2030-31 [S1].
Gondia–Jabalpur length ~231 km, cost ~Rs 5,236 cr — spans Maharashtra (Gondia) and MP [S3].
Punarakh–Kiul lies on Eastern Railway / Bihar; Gamharia–Chandil on South Eastern Railway / Jharkhand [S1].
Incremental freight capacity: 52 MTPA [S1].
Oil saving 6 crore litres; CO₂ saving 30 crore kg = ~1 crore trees [S2].
Project framework: PM Gati Shakti NMP (2021) for multi-modal integration [S1].
Beneficiary villages: 5,407; population ~98 lakh [S2].
Tourist circuits enabled: Pench National Park, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Dhuandhar Falls via Jabalpur [S2].

GS-III — Infrastructure: Railways; Indian Economy; Investment models.
Possible stems: 1. "PM Gati Shakti has shifted Indian Railways' capacity expansion from a piecemeal to an integrated approach." Examine with recent multi-tracking approvals. 2. Discuss how rail capacity augmentation contributes to India's logistics-cost reduction and climate commitments. 3. Multi-tracking versus dedicated freight corridors: complementary or substitutive strategies for Indian Railways?

PM Gati Shakti NMP (2021) — umbrella framework [S1].
National Logistics Policy 2022 — cost-to-GDP target.
Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCCIL) — EDFC/WDFC parallels.
National Rail Plan 2030 — capacity vision.
Vande Bharat & Amrit Bharat Stations — passenger-side modernisation.
Coal & Mineral logistics (CIL, SAIL) — demand driver.
Aspirational Districts Programme — overlap with Jharkhand/Bihar beneficiaries.

Confusing CCEA with full Union Cabinet — economic project approvals go to CCEA.
Mis-counting projects/length — three projects, 307 km, 8 districts, 4 states (not 18 districts — that was the Mar-2025 sanction) [S2].
Assuming all three are doubling — only Gondia–Jabalpur is doubling; the other two are 3rd & 4th line additions [S1].
Attributing to Ministry of Road Transport or NHAI — it is Ministry of Railways [S1].
Punarakh–Kiul is in Bihar (often confused with Jharkhand mining belt) [S1].

[S1] Cabinet approves three multitracking projects … 307 Kms — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2232095 — (tier 1)
[S2] Cabinet briefing, 24 Feb 2026 (PIB specificdocs PDF) — https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2026/feb/doc2026225805101.pdf — (tier 1)
[S3] Companion PIB approvals listing prior multi-tracking sanctions (PRID 2175765, 2135643, 1949406) used for Gondia–Jabalpur length/cost cross-check — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2175765 — (tier 1)