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🗞️ Why in News The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by PM Modi, approved railway multitracking projects worth roughly Rs 9,450 crore and a Rs 3,590.73 crore four-laning of NH-22 in Bihar, on August 19, 2026.

What Was Approved

The rail component covers four multitracking projects, Kharagpur-Bhadrak, Bhadrak-Haridaspur, Gummidipundi-Gudur, and Cuttack-Paradeep, spanning West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, adding roughly 410 km across 8 districts, targeted for completion by 2030-31, with an estimated freight capacity gain of ~76 MTPA. Separately, the Muzaffarpur-Sitamarhi-Sonbarsa stretch of NH-22 (82.578 km) will be four-laned on the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM), linking the India-Nepal border crossing at Sonbarsa to Muzaffarpur, and including a 340-metre bridge over the Bagmati, three rail overbridges and two flyovers.

Why This Matters

The rail multitracking directly serves freight-capacity expansion under the PM Gati Shakti logistics-cost-reduction strategy, while the NH-22 upgrade strengthens a key India-Nepal border-connectivity corridor, illustrating the government’s dual-use approach to infrastructure investment, domestic freight efficiency alongside strategic neighbourhood connectivity.

UPSC Relevance

This is a useful case study for GS3 infrastructure-financing models, particularly the Hybrid Annuity Mode, and for GS2 India-Nepal connectivity in the neighbourhood-policy context. A strong Mains answer would link this to PM Gati Shakti’s multimodal integration goals and examine how border-connectivity infrastructure serves both economic and strategic objectives simultaneously.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

Rail Multitracking + NH-22 Bihar, August 19, 2026:

  • Rail projects: Rs ~9,450 crore, 4 projects across WB, Odisha, TN, AP; ~410 km, 8 districts; completion by 2030-31; freight gain ~76 MTPA
  • NH-22 (Muzaffarpur-Sitamarhi-Sonbarsa): Rs 3,590.73 crore, 82.578 km, Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM)
  • Connects: India-Nepal border crossing, Sonbarsa, to Muzaffarpur (linking NH-27/East-West Corridor)

Other Relevant Facts:

  • Rail projects connect an estimated ~6,448 villages, ~60 lakh population

Sources: PIB, ANI

Source: Cabinet Clears Rs 13,041 Crore Railway Multitracking and NH-22 Bihar Highway Push — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs