The Union Cupboard has cleared a collection of main infrastructure proposals spanning transport, city growth and rail connectivity, together with India’s first road-cum-rail tunnel underneath the Brahmaputra in Assam, a Rs 1 lakh crore City Problem Fund, a metro extension in Noida, and three multi-tracking railway tasks throughout 4 states.
India’s first road-cum-rail tunnel underneath Brahmaputra
The Cupboard Committee on Financial Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, permitted the development of a 34-km-long twin-tube underwater road-cum-rail tunnel between Gohpur and Numaligarh in Assam at an estimated value of Rs 18,662 crore.
Officers mentioned that whereas India’s first under-river tunnel was constructed underneath the Hooghly River in Kolkata for Metro operations, the proposed Assam mission can be the primary within the nation the place each rail and street transport will function facet by facet underneath a river.
At current, connectivity between Numaligarh on NH-715 and Gohpur on NH-15 entails a 240-km street journey through the Kaliabhomora bridge close to Silghat, taking almost six hours. The brand new four-lane access-controlled greenfield hall with a road-cum-rail tunnel underneath the Brahmaputra is predicted to drastically cut back journey time and enhance logistics.
The alignment will combine with NH-15 and NH-715 and join main railway sections underneath the Northeast Frontier Railway. The mission can also be anticipated to strengthen multi-modal connectivity by linking financial, social, vacationer and logistics nodes, in addition to main railway stations, airports and inland waterways.
The federal government mentioned the mission would generate round 80 lakh person-days of employment and improve freight effectivity, decreasing logistics prices and supporting regional progress throughout Assam and different northeastern states.
Rs 1 lakh crore City Problem Fund permitted
In a big city reform measure, the Cupboard permitted the launch of the City Problem Fund (UCF) with a central help of Rs 1 lakh crore.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw mentioned the initiative would leverage market financing and personal sector participation to generate a complete funding of Rs 4 lakh crore within the city sector over the subsequent 5 years.
Beneath the scheme, central help will cowl 25 per cent of mission prices, supplied not less than 50 per cent of funding is mobilised from market sources reminiscent of municipal bonds, financial institution loans and public-private partnerships.
Operational from FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31, with an extendable implementation interval as much as FY 2033-34, the UCF marks a shift from grant-based financing to market-linked, reform-driven city infrastructure growth.
Cities with a inhabitants of 10 lakh or extra, state and Union Territory capitals, main industrial cities, and concrete native our bodies in hilly and northeastern states might be eligible.
To facilitate entry to market finance for smaller cities, the Cupboard additionally permitted a Rs 5,000 crore Credit score Reimbursement Assure Scheme. It would present a central assure for first-time loans to smaller city native our bodies, supporting tasks of not less than Rs 20 crore initially.
Initiatives underneath the fund might be chosen by a aggressive problem mode, primarily based on transformative impression, sustainability and reform orientation.
Noida Metro extension will get nod
The Cupboard additionally permitted an 11.56-km extension of the Noida Metro Rail Mission from Sector 142 to Botanical Backyard, comprising eight elevated stations.
Following operationalisation, Noida and Higher Noida may have an energetic metro community of 61.62 km.
The extension will strengthen connectivity to high-demand corridors and supply an interchange at Botanical Backyard with the Blue Line and Magenta Line, enhancing integration throughout the Delhi-NCR metro community.
Three railway multi-tracking tasks cleared
In one other main resolution, the Cupboard permitted three railway multi-tracking tasks at an estimated value of Rs 18,509 crore.
The tasks embrace building of third and fourth strains on the Kasara–Manmad, Delhi–Ambala, and Ballari–Hosapete routes.
Overlaying 12 districts throughout Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and Karnataka, the tasks will develop the railway community by about 389 km and improve connectivity to almost 3,902 villages with a mixed inhabitants of round 97 lakh.
The federal government mentioned the extra capability would ease congestion, enhance service reliability and allow an extra freight visitors of 96 million tonnes each year.
The tasks are anticipated to enhance connectivity to key vacationer locations and cut back logistics prices, oil imports and carbon emissions, contributing to environmental sustainability targets.
The selections, taken on the Cupboard assembly chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, replicate a multi-sector push geared toward strengthening connectivity, logistics effectivity, city transformation and regional growth throughout the nation.
Learn extra newest information ! Read Now.
