Cabinet gives nod to rail and road projects worth over ₹4.8K crore

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared two major transport infrastructure projects. One involves doubling the 104-km Tirupati-Pakala-Katpadi single railway line, which runs through Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The second project is the construction of a six-lane access-controlled Zirakpur Bypass (19.2 km) in Punjab and Haryana, to be built under the “hybrid annuity mode.”

In addition to these infrastructure projects, the Cabinet—chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—also approved the 'Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management' (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for 2025-2026. This scheme will have an initial outlay of ₹1,600 crore.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Tirupati-Pakala-Katpadi railway line doubling will cost about ₹1,332 crore. The aim is to boost connectivity, improve mobility, and support sustainable growth in the southern states.

Covering three districts across Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the railway project will extend the Indian Railways network by nearly 113 km. “The improved connectivity will benefit both religious and tourist travellers, as the line links Tirupati—home to the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, which sees around 75,000 pilgrims daily, with numbers rising to 1.5 lakh during special occasions,” Vaishnaw said.

He added that the expanded capacity will allow for an additional 4 million tonnes of freight per year and help achieve India’s climate goals by cutting oil imports by 4 crore litres and reducing carbon emissions by 20 crore kilograms annually.

The 19.2-km Zirakpur Bypass will begin at the NH-7 junction (Zirakpur-Patiala) and end at the NH-5 junction (Zirakpur-Parwanoo). Estimated to cost ₹1,878 crore, the bypass is expected to ease traffic congestion in Zirakpur, Panchkula, and nearby areas by rerouting vehicles from Patiala, Delhi, and Mohali Aerocity, while providing direct access to Himachal Pradesh.

Vaishnaw said the project aims to reduce travel time and ensure smoother traffic flow through the crowded urban sections of NH-7, NH-5, and NH-152.

As part of a third key decision, the government also plans to improve irrigation by creating water supply infrastructure from existing canals and other sources to specific agricultural clusters.