Bhubaneswar, Aug 19: The Centre on Wednesday approved two major railway multi-tracking projects in Odisha as part of four projects worth around Rs 9,450 crore cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The approved Odisha projects include the 75-km Bhadrak-Haridaspur fourth line and the 72-km Cuttack-Paradeep (Badabandha) third and fourth lines. The four projects, spread across Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, will add around 410 km to the Indian Railways network.

The other projects include the 173-km Kharagpur-Bhadrak (Ranital) fourth line and the 90-km Gummidipundi-Gudur third and fourth lines.

The expansion is expected to significantly enhance rail connectivity in Odisha, particularly along key industrial and freight corridors. The Cuttack-Paradeep route is strategically important for transporting commodities to and from the Paradeep region, while the Bhadrak-Haridaspur section will provide additional capacity on a crucial railway route.

According to the Centre, the projects will improve operational efficiency, reliability and train movement while reducing congestion on existing routes. Planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the projects focus on integrated planning, multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency.

The four projects will cover eight districts and benefit around 6,448 villages, with a combined population of nearly 60 lakh.

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