New Delhi, Aug 4 (KNN) Under the institutional framework of ‘PM GatiShakti National Master Plan’ three important railway projects have been examined and recommended by the Network Planning Group.

These are Doubling of Gorakhpur Cantt – Valmikinagar rail line, Katihar – Mukuria and Katihar – Kumedpur Doubling and Pachora – Jamner Gauge Conversion & Extension upto Bodwad, as per a statement by Commerce Ministry.

All the three projects are of extreme importance in order to ensure faster movement of goods in the hinterland which will accelerate the logistics efficiency and bring reduction in logistics costs.

Ministry of Railways has identified ‘high density network’ of railway lines to achieve target of 3000 million metric tonne of freight movement.

To ensure freight flow, particularly food grain movement from western India to North Eastern States, Gorakhpur Cantt – Valmikinagar (95 km.) is an important stretch which was having only single railway line affecting the freight movement.

From Valmikinagar upto Muzaffarpur, work on doubling is already going on and the proposed doubling project with the cost of Rs 1120 crore is expected to improve the logistics efficiency significantly.

Katihar – Mukuria and Katihar – Kumedpur Doubling will significantly help  movement of cargo from Kolkata Port to Virat Nagar, costing about Rs 942 crore.

Pachora – Jamner Gauge Conversion & Extension upto Bodwad will provide bye pass double line railway connectivity for Jalgaon and Bhusawal. It will provide faster freight movement from JNPT to Nagpur and eastern region of the country.

The Network Planning Group has the head of Planning Divisions of the infrastructure Ministries including M/o Railways, MoRTH, Power, MoPNG, MNRE, DoT, MoCA, MoPSW with special representative from NITI Aayog and MoEF&CC. Logistics Division, DPIIT functions as secretariat of PM GatiShakti.  (KNN Bureau)