The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved three railway projects covering eight districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, with a total cost of around Rs 9,072 crore.Addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the three railway projects — doubling of the Gondia-Jabalpur section; and laying of third and fourth lines on Punarakh-Kiul and Gamharia-Chandil sections — will add about 307 km to the Railways network. They are expected to be completed by 2030–31.”“The Jabalpur-Gondia section covers the northern region, especially the Purvanchal region of Prayagraj, Varanasi, Kashi, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Spanning 231 kilometres, the project is estimated to cost Rs 5,236 crore. Besides, Rs 450 crore has been allocated for building wildlife underpasses and fencing,” said Vaishnaw.The Punarakh–Kiul project will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 2,268 crore in three years. The third and fourth lines on the Gamharia-Chandil route will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1,168 crore in three years.The proposed capacity enhancement will improve rail connectivity to several prominent tourist destinations, including Kachnar Shiv Temple (Jabalpur), Kanha National Park (Balaghat), Gangulpara Dam and Waterfall, Pench National Park, Dhuandhar waterfall, Bargi Dam, Gomji-Somji Temple, Chandil Dam, Dalma Hill Top and Wildlife Sanctuary, Hesakocha Waterfall and Raijama Ghati.Besides, these projects have been planned on essential routes for the transportation of commodities such as coal, steel, iron ore, cement, ballast and stone chips, fly ash, fertilizers, limestone, manganese, dolomite and foodgrains. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of 52 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum).Since the Railways is an environment-friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, they will also help India in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import by an estimated 6 crore litres and lower CO2 emissions by 30 crore kg, which is equivalent to plantation of one crore trees.3-3 extension of Gujarat metro corridor approvedMoreover, the Cabinet has also approved extension of existing North-South corridor from GIFT City to Shahpur of the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Limited (GMRC). The 3.33-km extension will also include three elevated stations. The project is scheduled to be completed in four years at a cost of Rs 1,067.35 crore.