New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved five railway projects worth Rs 10,021 crore across southern India, including three in Tamil Nadu.
The projects are planned under the PM Gati Shakti initiative, with the Centre aiming to strengthen railway infrastructure by adding additional tracks on key corridors. In total, the approved works cover 540 km across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana.
According to the government, the added capacity will make it easier to move commodities such as coal, cement, iron, foodgrains and automobiles. The projects are expected to enable handling of an additional 4.70 tonnes of freight annually.
The government said travel time will reduce significantly, and the benefits will directly reach about 52 lakh people from nearly 2,121 villages along the corridors.
The improved rail connectivity is also expected to create opportunities for tourism growth in Tamil Nadu by making travel more convenient.
