New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday approved a Rs 1,264-crore railway project to add a third and fourth rail line on the Ballari–Guntakal section spanning Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

The project aims to enhance railway capacity, improve freight and passenger movement, and strengthen connectivity between the two states under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.

Project to boost rail infrastructure

According to an official government statement, the railway expansion has been planned under the PM Gati Shakti initiative with a focus on integrated infrastructure planning, multimodal connectivity and improved logistics efficiency.

The project is expected to provide smoother movement of passengers, goods and services by easing congestion on the existing rail corridor.

Officials said the multi-tracking work will cover three districts across Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and expand the Indian Railways network by approximately 46 km.

Better connectivity for villages

The Centre said the project would improve rail connectivity for around 99 villages with a combined population of nearly 7 lakh people.

The enhanced rail infrastructure is expected to provide better transportation facilities, improve accessibility and support economic development in the region.

Freight movement to improve

The Ballari–Guntakal section is an important freight corridor used for transporting key commodities, including:

  • Iron ore
  • Dolomite
  • Limestone
  • Iron and steel
  • Coal
  • Fertilisers
  • Food grains

According to the government, the capacity augmentation is expected to facilitate an additional 16.22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of freight traffic.

The improved infrastructure is expected to reduce congestion and improve operational efficiency across the route.

Tourism to benefit

The government said the project would also improve connectivity to several tourist destinations in the region, including:

  • Ballari Fort
  • Sri Kumara Swamy Temple

Officials noted that better rail connectivity is expected to support tourism while providing more convenient travel options for passengers.

Environmental benefits

The government highlighted several environmental gains expected from the project.

According to official estimates, the railway expansion will:

  • Reduce oil imports by approximately 1.32 crore litres.
  • Lower carbon dioxide emissions by about 6.67 crore kg.
  • Deliver environmental benefits equivalent to planting nearly 0.27 crore trees.

The project is also expected to reduce logistics costs while contributing to the country’s climate goals.

Operational efficiency to increase

The Centre said the addition of two new rail lines would significantly increase line capacity, improve train movement and enhance service reliability.

The project is expected to streamline railway operations by reducing bottlenecks and easing congestion on one of the region’s important rail corridors.

Conclusion

The approval of the Rs 1,264-crore Ballari–Guntakal railway expansion project marks another infrastructure initiative under the PM Gati Shakti programme. Once completed, the project is expected to strengthen passenger and freight connectivity, support regional economic growth, improve logistics efficiency and deliver environmental benefits across Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.