The Indian Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved eight new railway projects that will add 900 km and 64 new stations to Indian state railway IR's network. The projects, which will cost a total of around €2.68 billion (INR 246 billion) and serve 14 districts in the federal states of Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana, and West Bengal, are scheduled for completion between 2026 and 2030. The projects are part of a national masterplan to improve the movement of people and goods by reaching areas not previously served by the national railway network. For the first time, the Unesco World Heritage Site of Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra will also be accessible by rail. The cargo on the new lines is expected to include agricultural produce, fertilisers, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, bauxite, limestone, granite, and containers. According to the Indian Ministry of Railways, the additional capacity will increase freight transport by 143 million t and reduce CO2 emissions by 870,000 t per year, while India's oil imports will be reduced by 320 million liters annually.
