Bhopal-Dhanbad/Chhapra Express flagged off; Minister Vaishnaw highlights Rs 48,000 Cr projects for MP

New Delhi [India], February 25 (ANI): Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav virtually flagged off the Bhopal-Dhanbad/Chhapra Express train, marking a new chapter in connectivity between the two states.
Speaking on the occasion, Vaishnaw said, "A new train service has been launched between Bhopal and Dhanbad. In Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term, so many projects for Madhya Pradesh have been approved as have never been approved since independence. Projects worth Rs 48,000 crore have been approved that are connected to Madhya Pradesh."
The Union Cabinet has approved infrastructure projects worth nearly Rs 13 lakh crore since June 2024, covering railways, highways, metro connectivity, airports, ports, and ropeways. According to official data, 49 railway projects worth Rs 1,80,164 crore have been cleared during this period. In the road sector, 27 highway projects valued at Rs 2,39,748 crore have been approved.
Urban transport has also received a boost, with 10 metro projects sanctioned for Rs 1,31,237 crore. In aviation and maritime infrastructure, the Cabinet approved five new airports with a total investment of Rs 9,006 crore, along with one major port project and shipping reforms involving Rs 1,45,945 crore. Two ropeway projects worth Rs 6,811 crore were also sanctioned to improve connectivity in difficult terrains.
Among other approvals, the Cabinet cleared the doubling of the Gondia-Jabalpur rail line at an estimated cost of Rs 5,236 crore. The 3rd and 4th rail line project between Punarkh and Kiul, involving Rs 2,668 crore, and the 3rd and 4th line between Gamharia and Chandil, costing Rs 1,168 crore, were also sanctioned.
Boosting urban infrastructure, Vaishnaw added, the Cabinet approved a new integrated airport terminal at Srinagar, entailing an expenditure of Rs 1,667 crore. Additionally, the extension of Phase 2B of the Ahmedabad Metro project, with an allocation of Rs 1,067 crore, was approved to strengthen urban connectivity. (ANI)