Indian Railways Clears ₹440 Crore Third Rail Line Project on South Eastern Railway Corridor

New Delhi, July 23, 2026;

The Nimpura Midnapur Third Line project has received approval from Indian Railways with an investment of ₹440 crore. The 14.52-km railway expansion on South Eastern Railway is aimed at increasing rail capacity, reducing congestion and improving both passenger and freight train operations on one of the country’s busiest rail corridors.

The new rail line will be developed on a section that is part of the High Utilisation Network (HUN-2), where traffic demand has consistently exceeded available capacity. While track doubling work is already underway on a portion of the corridor, the newly sanctioned third line is expected to provide greater operational flexibility and reduce congestion across the route.

Railway officials said the corridor plays a vital role in transporting a wide range of industrial and essential commodities. These include coal, iron ore, manganese, steel, cement, fertilisers, petroleum products, containers, wheat, rice, limestone, gypsum, edible oil, ballast and several other bulk goods that are critical for industrial and economic activities.

At present, the route handles an annual freight volume of around 23.80 million tonnes and is operating beyond its designed capacity, with utilisation exceeding 115 per cent. The additional track is expected to improve train handling, reduce delays and support the growing demand for rail transportation.

The project is projected to create additional freight carrying capacity of approximately 3.52 million tonnes per annum. Besides supporting industries that depend heavily on rail logistics, the upgraded infrastructure is also expected to improve punctuality of passenger services by reducing operational bottlenecks.

The Nimpura Midnapur Third Line project is expected to play an important role in strengthening the logistics network of eastern India. With rising industrial output and increasing freight demand, the additional railway line will help accommodate more trains without affecting passenger schedules. The project will also improve operational efficiency by allowing better train management across the busy corridor.

Railway infrastructure expansion remains one of the key priorities for Indian Railways as it works to improve connectivity and support economic growth. By creating additional rail capacity on this section, the Nimpura Midnapur Third Line will contribute to faster transportation of raw materials and finished goods while ensuring a more reliable rail network for future traffic growth.