The Union Cabinet has approved eight multi-tracking railway projects worth more than ₹20,000 crore, including works linked to Bengaluru, Karnataka and neighbouring southern states, according to a report by Vijay Karnataka published on September 10. The projects were approved at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 9, 2026.
The approved works cover more than 1,200 kilometres of railway network across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The projects are expected to improve rail connectivity to more than 6,900 villages and involve more than 20 districts, the report said.
Among the Karnataka-linked works is the construction of third and fourth railway lines between Whitefield and Bangarapet. The 47-kilometre section forms part of the high-density Manmad-Hubballi-Bengaluru-Jolarpettai route, which also supports rail movement between Bengaluru and Chennai. Additional tracks on the section are intended to increase operational capacity on an already busy corridor.
The Cabinet has also approved doubling work on the Hosur-Omalur railway route in Tamil Nadu, close to Bengaluru. The project is expected to support passenger movement towards southern destinations, including routes serving Kanyakumari and Rameswaram, while also improving freight movement around the Bengaluru region, according to the report.
Other projects listed in the announcement include third and fourth lines between Arakkonam and Renigunta, multi-tracking between Secunderabad and Kazipet, and doubling of the Salem-Karur-Dindigul section. The package also includes a fourth line between Kharagpur and Jharsuguda, a fourth line between Katni and Pendra Road, and a third line between Bilaspur and Pendra Road.
The projects have been planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan. The stated objectives include improving operational efficiency and service reliability on the existing railway network, while strengthening routes used for passenger and freight traffic.
For Karnataka, the approved works are also connected to industrial and energy logistics. The report said improvements on the Wadi-Tandur and Motumari-Vishnupuram routes would support mineral transportation for steel plants. Rail movement of coal to thermal power plants at places including Hutgi, Kudgi, Yadlapur, Ballari and Yermarus is also expected to benefit from the wider infrastructure package.
The Cabinet approval is the first formal milestone for the projects listed in the report. The source did not provide construction start dates, completion schedules, project-wise cost details or the expected number of additional passenger and freight services. Those details will determine when the capacity benefits become operational.
