New Delhi, August 19: Union Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Wednesday stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is spearheading a massive expansion of the country's rail infrastructure, drawing a parallel to the highway revolution initiated by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Highlighting the vision for a "four-lane railway network," the Minister announced that investments exceeding ₹1 lakh crore are being directed toward Odisha to modernise its rail connectivity.

"Just as Atal Bihari Vajpayee pioneered the four-lane highway network across the country, our respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now advancing the four-lane railway network," Vaishnaw said.

Speaking on specific infrastructure developments for the region, the Minister emphasised the significance of the Howrah-Chennai route.

"Regarding the Howrah-Chennai route, two specific projects will benefit Odisha: The Kharagpur-Bhadrak-Ranital fourth line and the Bhadrak-Haridaspur fourth line. These projects will allow for smoother train operations and save travel time, enabling the introduction of more trains to Delhi and other states," he added.

Vaishnaw also addressed the growing industrial and passenger demand for better connectivity to the state's ports and industrial hubs. He noted that while the Haridaspur-Paradip line was originally sanctioned to handle traffic from North Odisha and Jharkhand, new measures are being taken to accommodate other regions.

"The demand for the Cuttack-Paradeep line expansion also needs to be addressed... the Haridaspur-Paradip line was sanctioned to handle traffic from North Odisha and Jharkhand. To facilitate traffic from Central Odisha, Western Odisha, and Chhattisgarh, the Cuttack-Paradeep line is being expanded to four tracks, with special attention paid to preventing congestion in Cuttack," the Minister said.

Underlining the scale of the central government's commitment to the state, Vaishnaw remarked that the massive capital infusion would fundamentally alter the logistics landscape of the region.

"Investments exceeding ₹1 lakh crore will be made in Odisha. These initiatives are set to completely transform Odisha's railway map, bringing immense benefits to the state's 4.5 crore people," he added.

Earlier today, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved four projects of the Ministry of Railways with a total cost of approximately Rs 9,450 crore.

According to an official release, the four projects include: Kharagpur Bhadrak (Ranital) 4th Line 173 km (West Bengal and Odisha), Bhadrak Haridaspur 4th Line - 75 km (Odisha), Gummidipundi - Gudur 3rd and 4th Line - 90 km (Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu) and Cuttack - Paradeep (Badabandha) 3rd and 4th Line -72 km (Odisha).

The increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. These multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion.

The projects are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a new India, which will make people of the region 'Atmanirbhar' (self-reliant) by way of comprehensive development in the area, which will enhance their employment/self-employment opportunities, as stated in the release.