Transformative infrastructure projects under PM GatiShakti initiative

The PM GatiShakti initiative is accelerating the development of transformative infrastructure projects throughout India, improving connectivity and logistical efficiency.

Shri Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), presided over the 89th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG), which was held recently to assess important infrastructure projects in the road, railway, and metro sectors. The objective of this session was to improve logistics efficiency and multimodal connectivity following the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS NMP). Assessed Projects:

Road Transport and Highways Ministry (MoRTH)

Meghalaya’s Darugiri to Dalu Section Upgrade: NH-62 (New NH-217) will be upgraded to a two-lane highway with paved shoulders for 136.11 km, improving connection between the East, South, and West Garo Hills. Both regional economic growth and cross-border trade depend on this corridor.

Brahmaputra River Tunnel (Assam): Between Gohpur and Numaligarh, a four-lane tunnel will be built beneath the Brahmaputra River. This innovative initiative will minimise the distance from 240 kilometres to 34 kilometres, cut down on travel time from 6.5 hours to 30 minutes, and provide connectivity to states in the northeast.

Kalibor-Numaligarh Highway Expansion (Assam): Adding wildlife-friendly features to the 85.67-kilometre section of NH-37/NH-715 to make it four lanes to preserve the biodiversity of Kaziranga National Park.

The 138.177 km Mayjilar to Jaisalmer Road Upgrade (Rajasthan) will be upgraded to two lanes with paved shoulders along NH-11 and NH-70. This will improve regional connectivity, increase tourism, ease defence movement, and improve road safety.

Ministry of Railways (MoR)

Badlapur-Karjat line expansion (Maharashtra): Adding third and fourth lines across 32.460 km to reduce congestion on the Mumbai-Pune-Solapur-Wadi-Chennai corridor, benefiting towns like Badlapur and Karjat.

Construction of a 15.99 km fourth line with a flyover from Nergundi to Cuttack in Odisha aims to reduce rail congestion, improve freight transportation and assist activities at Paradip Port and Talcher coalfields.

Doubling the 74.09 km Haridaspur to Paradip Line in Odisha will improve freight capacity and logistics efficiency, facilitating coal transportation from Talcher Coalfields to Paradip Port and boosting industrial expansion in the Angul-Jharsuguda cluster.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)

Rajkot Metro Rail Project (Gujarat): A 31.5 km metro rail system will improve urban mobility in Rajkot, reduce traffic congestion, and promote sustainable transportation.

These projects are consistent with PM GatiShakti’s concepts of integrated multimodal infrastructure, last-mile connectivity to economic and social hubs, and intermodal coordination. They are projected to improve logistical efficiency, shorten travel times, and provide substantial socioeconomic benefits across regions.

The NPG continues to play an important role in ensuring that infrastructure projects are planned and carried out in a coordinated way, promoting overall development and economic progress across the country.

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