The Union Cabinet has approved three railway capacity-enhancement projects worth Rs 18,509 crore involving the construction of the third and fourth lines on the Delhi-Ambala, Kasara–Manmad (Maharashtra) and the Ballari-Hosapete (Karnataka) corridors.The 194-km Delhi–Ambala corridor expansion would be completed within four years at a cost of Rs 5,983 crore, the government said in a statement. “The project will provide better linkages to key religious destinations, including Vaishno Devi at Katra in Jammu, and tourist hotspot Srinagar. Once complete, the lines will enhance the freight capacity by 24.6 million tonnes per year. The lines will consist of 28 major and 178 minor bridges, two road overbridges, 79 underbridges and 415 km of tracks,” it said.The 131-km Kasara-Manmad line will have a track length of 316 km and cost Rs 10,154 crore. It will remove the need for banking engines on Kasara–Igatpuri gradients, and add 46.1 million tonnes of freight capacity annually. The initiative would likely save 54 crore kg of CO2 a year (equivalent to planting 2.2 crore trees), cut logistics costs by about Rs 1,207 crore per year and create roughly 89 lakh human days of work. The Ballari–Hosapete route length is 65 km while the track length is 149 km. The project will cost Rs 2,372 crore and take four years to complete. The line will strengthen a key freight and passenger link on the Vasco da Gama–Vijayawada high density network.These multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion. The projects were in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a New India, which would make people in the region ‘Atmanirbhar’ through comprehensive development that enhances employment and self-employment opportunities, the government said.“The proposed capacity enhancement will improve rail connectivity to several prominent tourist destinations across the country, including Bhavli Dam, Shri Ghatandevi, Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and Srinagar, and major attractions such as Hampi (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Ballari Fort, Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary, Tungabhadra Dam, Kenchanagudda, and the Vijaya Vittala Temple,” it said.