Eight rail projects in seven states

The cabinet committee on economic affairs recently approved eight new rail line projects across seven states including Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh to provide connectivity, facilitate ease of travelling, minimise logistical costs, reduce oil imports and cut carbon footprint. One of the projects will provide rail connectivity to Ajanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site and is expected to boost tourism. The proposed projects will streamline supply chains, accelerate economic growth and increase the existing network of Indian Railways by 900km. After completion, the railways will get an additional freight traffic of more than 140 million tonnes per year.