Large rail projects approved

India’s cabinet has approved two rail expansion projects worth ₹24,815 crore in Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, with work slated through 2030-31. (pib.gov.in) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs cleared a 403-km third and fourth line on the Ghaziabad-Sitapur route for ₹14,926 crore and a 198-km third and fourth line on the Rajahmundry (Nidadavolu)-Visakhapatnam (Duvvada) route for ₹9,889 crore. Together, the projects add about 601 km to the network and 1,317 km of track. (pib.gov.in) Both stretches are already double-line routes, so the new work is about adding capacity on corridors that are running beyond comfortable limits. The Ghaziabad-Sitapur section is part of the Delhi-Guwahati high-density network, and the government said its line use is already as high as 168% and could reach 207% without the project. (pib.gov.in) On the Andhra Pradesh side, the Rajahmundry-Visakhapatnam section sits on the Howrah-Chennai high-density corridor and carries traffic tied to east-coast ports including Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Machilipatnam and Kakinada. The project also includes a new 4.3-km rail bridge over the Godavari River. (indianexpress.com) The government said the two projects cover 15 districts and are meant to move freight faster, cut congestion, and improve reliability for passenger and goods trains. It also said the routes carry coal, foodgrains, cement, petroleum products, iron and steel, containers, fertilizers, sugar, chemicals, and limestone. (pib.gov.in) On the Ghaziabad-Sitapur route, Indian Express reported the buildout will include six new stations: New Hapur, New Moradabad, New Rampur, New Bareilly, New Shahjahanpur and New Sitapur. The same report said the Uttar Pradesh project is expected to support an extra 36 million tonnes of freight a year. (indianexpress.com) These approvals land as the railways ministry heads into a bigger spending year. India’s Union Budget documents show total budgeted expenditure for the Ministry of Railways at ₹8,84,995.30 crore in 2026-27, up from ₹8,20,310.75 crore in the 2025-26 budget estimates. (indiabudget.gov.in) Rolling stock output has also been rising. The railways ministry said India produced a record 1,681 locomotives in 2024-25, up 19% from 1,472 in 2023-24, with most of that output meant for freight trains. (pib.gov.in) That combination — more track, more freight capacity, and more locomotives — points to the next phase of rail spending shifting from approval to execution. The cabinet has now set a deadline, and the test will be whether Indian Railways can finish both corridors by 2030-31. (pib.gov.in)