Cabinet approval to eight new rail projects, Northeast states including Bihar-Jharkhand will get benefit

It will increase connectivity to another state of Purvodaya and transportation of these goods toward the port will be easy. Transport of the following items like agricultural products, fertilizers, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, bauxite, granite, limestone, aluminum powder ballast etc will be easier through these rail routes. Carbon emissions will decrease and this will also balance the environment. The quantity of goods transported will also increase.

The incorporation of the Purvodaya concept added 14 districts of seven states, whose rail connectivity will be enhanced with the construction of the new railway lines. The current network of the railways will also increase by 900 km. Sixty-four new stations will come up along the rail lines, thereby providing connectivity to East Singhbhum, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, and Raigad.

This will bring development to around 40 lakh population of 510 villages. The Maharashtra railway line will connect the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ajanta Caves also with the rail network, facilitating a large number of tourists.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday to give statutory powers to the Railway Board. The Railways Amendment Bill, 2024 seeks to improve the functioning and independence of the Railway Board. Mr Vaishnav said that the proposed legislation would also bring all provisions relating to the Indian Railway Board Act, 1905 into the Railways Act, 1989. This will obviate referring to two Acts.

Vaishnav said that before independence, the railway network was established as a branch of the Public Works Department. When the network expanded, the Indian Railways Act, 1890 was enacted to enable the proper functioning of various railway entities. Railways were separated from the Public Works Department and the Railway Board Act was enacted in 1905, Vaishnav said.