The 105th Network Planning Group (NPG) meeting, chaired by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), evaluated and recommended eight critical infrastructure projects to bolster multimodal connectivity under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan. The session focused on seven significant railway initiatives and one major road project aimed at reducing logistics costs and improving travel times across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, and Maharashtra.
Key rail approvals included the quadrupling of lines on the Guntakal–Wadi, Guntakal–Bellary, and Arakkonam–Renigunta sections to support “Mission 3000 MT” and high-density freight corridors, alongside doubling projects in the Erode–Karur and Salem–Karur–Dindigul regions to benefit steel, cement, and textile industries.
Additionally, the NPG reviewed a multi-tracking electrified line in Pune to serve Maharashtra’s automobile hubs and a strategic expansion between Yadadri and Kazipet in Telangana. On the highway front, the group reviewed the upgradation of NH-544D from Vinukonda to Guntur, a project expected to slash travel time by 52% and provide vital connectivity to the upcoming capital, Amaravati. These projects prioritize the ‘Whole of Government’ approach, ensuring last-mile connectivity to industrial nodes while fostering regional economic growth through streamlined freight and passenger movement.
