India's Cabinet has approved four railway multi-tracking projects worth Rs 9,450 crore, adding roughly 410 km of new track across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal by 2030-31.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision on Wednesday through a post on X. He said the four projects will provide a major boost to railway infrastructure and connectivity across the four states. He added that the multi-tracking works will add important capacity to the Indian Railways network and benefit lakhs of people.

The four projects cover eight districts and connect approximately 6,448 villages with a combined population of about 60 lakhs, according to a government statement. They combine 4th-line additions on two eastern corridors with 3rd and 4th-line works on two coastal routes.

What do the four projects include?

The package breaks down as follows:

• Kharagpur–Bhadrak (Ranital) 4th line: 173 km across West Bengal and Odisha
• Bhadrak–Haridaspur 4th line: 75 km in Odisha
• Gummidipundi–Gudur 3rd and 4th lines: 90 km across Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
• Cuttack–Paradeep (Badabandha) 3rd and 4th lines: 72 km in Odisha

How will capacity change on the network?

The 410 km addition targets corridors that already handle heavy freight flows. Indian Railways identifies coal, iron ore, cement, finished iron and steel, containers, automobiles and food grains as the principal commodity groups moving on these routes.

Adding a fourth running line on the Kharagpur–Bhadrak and Bhadrak–Haridaspur sections addresses chronic bottlenecks on the Howrah–Chennai main line, where mixed passenger and freight traffic regularly constrains throughput. The two eastern corridors account for 248 km of additional track.

Which corridors gain strategic weight?

The Cuttack–Paradeep (Badabandha) corridor, with its 72 km of new track in Odisha, sits among the routes the government has flagged as essential for coal, iron ore and finished steel transport. The Gummidipundi–Gudur section adds 90 km of 3rd and 4th lines on the Chennai–Vijayawada coastal corridor, where passenger and freight services compete for limited path capacity.

Which regions and tourist sites gain improved access?

The upgraded corridors serve Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhitarkanika National Park, Maa Bhadrakali temple, Maa Dhamarai temple, Panchalingeswar Temple, Talsari–Udaypur, Chandipur Beach, Pulicat Lake, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, Lord Veeraraghava Perumal Temple, Gada Kujanga Jagannath Temple, Sarala Temple, Dhabaleswar Temple and the Buddhist site of Lalitgiri.

Modi said the works will facilitate commerce and tourism across the four states. He described the expected benefits as including strengthening passenger and freight movement, reducing congestion and greater logistics efficiency.

What is the policy framework?

The projects fall within the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which coordinates rail, road and port planning through integrated scheduling and stakeholder consultation. A government statement tied the works to the Prime Minister's Atmanirbhar vision, claiming that the new capacity will make people of the region Atmanirbhar through comprehensive development that enhances employment opportunities.

What is the delivery timeline?

Indian Railways targets completion of all four projects by 2030-31. The Rs 9,450 crore budget covers civil works, signalling upgrades and the additional tracks themselves.

The ministry has not yet published construction sequencing or land acquisition milestones for the eight affected districts, leaving the next phase of work to be confirmed.