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NPG Reviews Key Road and Rail Projects to Boost Connectivity

2025-05-02

The 92nd meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) was held in New Delhi to review major infrastructure proposals in the road and railway sectors. The session focused on promoting multimodal connectivity and improving logistics efficiency under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS NMP).

The NPG evaluated four key proposals — one from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and three from the Ministry of Railways (MoR). These projects were assessed for their integration with PM GatiShakti’s core tenets, including seamless multimodal infrastructure, last-mile connectivity, and a comprehensive development strategy. The initiatives are expected to improve freight movement, reduce transit time, and generate wide-ranging socio-economic benefits.

Six/Four-Lane Access-Controlled Highway – Rishikesh Bypass

MoRTH, through the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has proposed the construction of a bypass around Rishikesh to ease traffic congestion and improve flow on NH-34. The route connects major religious and industrial hubs such as Haridwar, Dehradun, BHEL, SIDCUL, and critical border areas like Mana, Nelang, and Niti. The project includes a combination of a 6/4-lane elevated corridor and an additional 4-lane road to accommodate future traffic growth and enhance capacity.

Rail Sector Proposals:

1. Bina–Itarsi Fourth Railway Line (236.97 km)

This proposal aims to add a fourth railway line along the Bina–Itarsi section, passing through key stations such as Bhopal, Rani Kamalapati, and Vidisha. Covering 32 stations, the project is expected to reduce travel time by around 46 minutes and improve sectional speeds by 10 km/h, significantly enhancing freight logistics.

2. Kasara–Manmad Multi-Tracking (Third and Fourth Lines, 2×130.8 km)

This initiative involves dual tracking across two segments: Kasara–Igatpuri in the Northeastern Ghats and Igatpuri–Manmad in the Deccan Plateau. The project targets a ruling gradient of 1 in 100, eliminating the need for banking locomotives, and increasing energy and operational efficiency. The realigned route merges with the mainline at Lahavit station, reducing delays and enhancing throughput.

3. Bhusawal–Wardha Third and Fourth Lines (314 km)

Covering five districts in Maharashtra — Jalgaon, Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, and Wardha — this project proposes additional tracks, station upgrades, and signalling modernisation. Located along the Mumbai–Howrah high-density corridor (HDN-2), the development is vital for easing freight congestion and strengthening the Central Railway zone.

The meeting was chaired by Shri Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The projects reviewed are aligned with India’s broader infrastructure strategy to enable faster, integrated, and sustainable economic growth.