New Delhi, April 30 (KNN) The 92nd meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) convened in New Delhi today to assess infrastructure initiatives in the transportation sector.
The session centered on four major projects—one road project and three railway developments—aimed at enhancing multimodal connectivity and improving logistics efficiency across regions.
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), through the National Highways Authority of India, presented a proposal for a six/four-lane access-controlled bypass around Rishikesh.
This infrastructure development aims to alleviate congestion in the city and optimise traffic flow on National Highway 34—a critical corridor connecting Delhi, Meerut, Roorkee, Haridwar, and Badrinath.
The Ministry of Railways presented three projects for evaluation:
The Bina-Itarsi fourth railway line project spans 236.97 kilometers, traversing key stations including Narmadapuram, Rani Kamalapati, Bhopal, Nishatpura, and Vidisha.
Incorporating 32 stations along its route, this infrastructure enhancement is projected to reduce transit times by approximately 46 minutes while increasing sectional speed by 10 kilometers per hour, significantly improving freight logistics efficiency.
The Kasara-Manmad multi-tracking initiative involves the construction of third and fourth railway lines across two distinct sections: Kasara-Igatpuri in the Northeastern Ghats and Igatpuri-Manmad in the Deccan Plateau.
The alignment strategically bypasses several stations before merging with the existing line at Lahavit station to facilitate smoother freight movement.
The Bhusawal-Wardha third and fourth railway lines project covers 314 kilometers across five Maharashtra districts: Jalgaon, Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, and Wardha.
This development encompasses new railway tracks, station upgrades, yard reconfigurations, and signaling improvements.
As an integral component of the Mumbai-Howrah high-density corridor (HDN-2), this initiative is vital for decongesting freight traffic and strengthening the Central Railway network’s operational capabilities.
(KNN Bureau)
