"Cabinet Approves Three Railway Multitracking Projects Adding 656 km Capacity"
Multitracking
adding a third or fourth parallel rail track to increase corridor throughput without a new alignment.
PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan
digital platform integrating infrastructure planning across all transport and logistics modes.
India's freight logistics sector carries a heavy burden of high costs and slow transit times. Road transport moves the majority of freight even though rail is cheaper per tonne-kilometre. This imbalance raises input costs for manufacturers and weakens export competitiveness. The share of rail in total freight movement has declined over decades. A key reason is that passenger trains and goods trains share the same tracks on most busy corridors. Freight trains are forced to wait in loops and sidings, which increases transit time and reduces reliability.
India has pursued two complementary strategies to address this. The first is building entirely new, exclusive freight corridors under the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) programme, executed by DFCCIL under the Ministry of Railways. The second, less capital-intensive strategy is multitracking: adding a third or fourth line alongside existing routes to increase throughput without building a new alignment. Multitracking is particularly useful on high-density corridors where land acquisition for a fresh alignment is difficult and where demand already justifies the investment.
The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, launched to integrate infrastructure planning across ministries and modes of transport, provides the overarching framework for both strategies. It integrates rail, road, port, and waterway investments so they are planned together rather than in silos. The plan aims to reduce logistics costs from around 13-14% of GDP to levels closer to global benchmarks.
Multitracking works by increasing the number of parallel tracks on a given route. A single-track line allows trains to move in only one direction at a time, requiring passing loops and causing delays. A double-track line allows simultaneous movement in both directions. A third or fourth line adds further capacity. Faster trains can overtake slower ones, and more freight paths become available without displacing passenger services.
Doubling adds a second track alongside a single-track line. Multitracking goes further by adding a third or fourth line on already-busy corridors. These investments are distinct from the DFC programme, which builds entirely new, exclusive freight routes. Multitracking on the existing network serves a complementary purpose. …
Which of the following connectivity projects is/are a part of cooperation between India and the ASEAN member countries?
1.Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project
2.IMT Trilateral Highway
3.Agartala-Akhaura Rail Line
Select the answer using the code given below:
Consider the following statements with reference to the Sagarmala Programme of the Government of India:
1.The Sagarmala Programme seeks to achieve port-led economic growth through cost-effective and sustainable coastal infrastructure.
2.The success of the Sagarmala Programme is reflected in significant growth in coastal and inland waterway shipping, along with improved global port rankings.
3.Sagarmala 2.0 aims to position India as a global maritime innovation hub aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047 visions.
Which of the following relationships among the above statements is/are correct?
1.Statement 2 validates the effectiveness of the strategies envisioned in statement 1.
2.Statement 3 extends the objectives of statement 1 by embedding them into a future-oriented innovation framework.
3.Statement 1 contradicts statement 3 by focusing only on traditional infrastructure instead of modern innovation.
Select the answer using the code given below:
Consider the following statements about Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) in India:
1.The Eastern DFC connects Ludhiana to Dankuni and is financed by the World Bank.
2.The Western DFC connects Dadri to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and is financed by JICA.
3.DFCCIL operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
4.Both DFCs are designed to carry double-stack container trains.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the recently approved railway multitracking projects in eastern and central India:
1.The three projects will add approximately 656 km to the existing Indian Railways network.
2.The projects are planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
3.The additional freight capacity from these projects is projected at 27 MTPA.
4.The projects cover districts across six states including Bihar.
How many of the above statements are correct?
With reference to the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, consider the following statements:
1.It integrates planning across road, rail, port, and logistics infrastructure on a unified digital platform.
2.It is implemented exclusively by the Ministry of Railways.
3.Its primary objective is to eliminate last-mile connectivity gaps through integrated multimodal planning.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following pairs:
Railway Corridor — Primary Commodity Served
1.Kharagpur–Jharsuguda : Coal, iron and steel
2.Katni–Pendra Road : Coal, cement
3.Eastern DFC (Ludhiana–Dankuni) : Container and EXIM cargo
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
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