CCEA okays Gondia-Dongargarh fourth rail line; will boost industrial growth, says Chhattisgarh CM

Raipur, Oct 7 (PTI) A fourth rail line project connecting Gondia in Maharashtra with Dongargarh in Chhattisgarh, worth Rs 2,223 crore, is among the four major railway projects approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Tuesday, an official said.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the approval, stating that it will accelerate industrial and commercial development in western Chhattisgarh, according to a government statement.

The CCEA, chaired by the prime minister, approved four major railway projects, including the Gondia-Dongargarh fourth rail line, worth Rs 24,634 crore, the statement said.

"The visionary leadership of PM Modi has made this ambitious project possible. Under the 'double-engine government,' Chhattisgarh is rapidly progressing on the track of development. This decision is not just a milestone for the state's growth, but it will also inject new energy into the central Indian economy," Sai said.

He stated that the new line will expedite coal transport from Raigarh, Mand, Korba, and Ib Valley mines, ensuring regular coal supply to thermal power plants in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana.

The 84-km-long fourth rail line project will pass through Rajnandgaon district in Chhattisgarh and Gondia district in Maharashtra. The project is expected to be completed within five years, the release said.

The project includes the construction of 15 major bridges, 123 minor bridges, one tunnel, three road overbridges (ROBs), and 22 road underbridges (RUBs), it said.

In the aspirational district of Rajnandgaon, the new line will improve passenger connectivity and boost local trade and investment. It is expected to empower the regional economy and strengthen Chhattisgarh's industrial landscape.

Once operational, the project will enable an additional annual freight movement of about 30.6 million tonnes, enhancing railway revenue and easing raw material and finished goods transport for industrial units, according to the release.

The project is also estimated to reduce around 23 crore kilograms of CO2 emissions, save 4.6 crore litres of diesel, and cut logistics costs by approximately Rs 514 crore annually, it said. PTI TKP NSK