Central Cabinet Approves Ghaziabad-Sitapur Rail Line Expansion The central cabinet has given the green light to the third and fourth rail lines of the Ghaziabad-Sitapur route, a project valued at 14,926 crore rupees that is expected to be completed within four years. This initiative aims to alleviate traffic congestion on existing tracks, enhance connectivity, and boost religious tourism by linking major pilgrimage sites such as Haridwar, Gadhewal, and Doodheshwara Nath to Naimisharanya. The project is part of efforts to modernize infrastructure in the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor and improve logistics for the region. Currently, the Ghaziabad-Sitapur section sees approximately 120 passenger trains and 40 freight trains daily, leading to significant delays and reduced punctuality, which has dropped to below 60%. The new rail lines will allow trains to bypass congestion in the middle section, reducing travel times between Delhi, Jammu-Kashmir, Punjab, and Guwahati. Analysts estimate that the project will increase annual freight traffic by 36 million tons, easing pressure on existing routes. The expanded network will also create dedicated tracks for freight trains, ensuring smoother movement of coal, food grains, and petroleum products. This will benefit industries in the region, including Ghaziabad’s machinery sector, Muradabad’s steel industry, Shahjahanpur’s furniture manufacturing, and Sitapur’s handloom and agricultural sectors. Existing investments in Sitapur, such as the Century Plywood plant (worth 3,000 crore rupees) and Redico Khetaan (2,700 crore rupees), will gain access to broader markets through improved logistics.#ghaziabad #central_cabinet #sitapur #haridwar #gadhewal
