New Delhi - The 56th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) within the framework of PM Gati Shakti recently conducted an evaluation of six project proposals. These proposals consisted of four projects from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and two projects from the Ministry of Railways (MoR), amounting to a combined project cost of approximately Rs 52,000 crore.
Discussions during the meeting underscored the advantages of utilizing the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP) portal in project planning. Experience has demonstrated that the NMP portal proves effective in both cost savings and time efficiency within the project planning process.
The meeting also delved into how digital surveys are revolutionizing infrastructure planning. These surveys significantly reduce the time required for preparing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and provide a clear visualization of project intersections with natural elements such as forests, economic zones, archaeological sites, and social hubs. Furthermore, they aid in optimizing route alignments and facilitating efficient first and last-mile connectivity planning to major social and economic zones within the project areas.
MoRTH presented four road projects during the meeting, totaling around Rs 45,000 crore in value, showcasing adherence to the principles of Gati Shakti. The first project, situated in Gujarat and Maharashtra, involves the construction of a greenfield road. This project stands to benefit not only the industrial hubs in Navsari, Nashik, and Ahmednagar districts but also the agricultural sector in the region. It is expected to contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of tribal districts like Navsari, Valsad, and Nashik while enhancing tourism and connecting aspirational districts like Osmanabad.
The second greenfield road project, also in Gujarat, spans Banaskantha, Patan, Mahesana, Gandhinagar, and Ahmedabad districts. It will establish a critical link between the Amritsar-Jamnagar economic corridor and Ahmedabad and Vadodara.
The third road project, located in Bihar, focuses on the four-laning of the Patna-Arrah-Sasaram corridor under the Bharatmala Pariyojna. It will facilitate seamless connectivity for traffic traveling from Uttar Pradesh via the Purvanchal Expressway to Jharkhand and Patna.
The fourth road project, discussed during the meeting, aims to enhance interstate connectivity among Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand and is situated in Uttar Pradesh.
In addition to the road projects, two railway project proposals were assessed, with a combined project cost of approximately Rs 6,700 crore. One of these projects involves a greenfield railway line in Odisha, passing through districts like Ganjam, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Boudh, Sambalpur, and Angul. It will connect western Odisha's industrial and mineral clusters with the east coast ports, providing improved connectivity to the industrial zones of eastern Chhattisgarh.
The second railway project proposal focuses on the doubling of railway lines in Kerala, aiming to enhance rail movement quality in a highly congested corridor of the Southern Railway network.