The 57th Network Planning Group (NPG) meeting, chaired by Smt Sumita Dawra, Special Secretary (Logistics) of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), was convened in New Delhi. This gathering brought together various government departments and ministries, including the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Department of Telecommunications, and NITI Aayog, to evaluate infrastructure projects valued at Rs. 19,520.77 Crore.
Projects Under Review
The NPG’s evaluation focused on three road projects from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and one railway project from the Ministry of Railways (MoR). This review further extends the impact of the PM GatiShakti approach, aimed at enhancing India’s infrastructure.
- Bihar Road Project: The 4-Lane Greenfield Highway for Parsarma to Araria (NH-327E) was the first project examined. It holds the potential to benefit the transportation of grains, agro-based industries, jute and plywood industries, and fish farming in the region.
- Assam Road Project: The second project revolved around widening and upgrading a two-lane road with paved shoulders from Tamenglong to Mahur (NH-137). This project aims to enhance intermodal transport and socio-economic development while contributing to connectivity with the Multimodal Logistics Park (MMLP) and local industrial units.
- West Bengal Road Project: The NPG also reviewed a road project starting from Dhupguri and extending to Salsalabari, a part of the East-West Corridor. This project is expected to reduce distances, improve connectivity, and facilitate growth in the North-Eastern part of the country.
- Gujarat Railway Project: The NPG delved into a railway project in Gujarat, focusing on doubling the line between Sabarmati and Sarkhej and introducing a new BG double line from Sarkhej to Dholera (DSIR). This railway project is poised to drive economic development, enhance connectivity, and bolster small-scale industries in the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR).
Railways’ Vision and Area Development Approach
The Ministry of Railways (MoR) presented its High-Density Traffic Network Corridor Program, aiming to increase the modal share of Railways to 35% and enhance its capacity to 3000 MT by 2031. High traffic density routes have been identified, and the railways are working on capacity augmentations for these routes.
The meeting also emphasized the adoption of an Area Development Approach in infrastructure project planning to ensure overall socio-economic development in the region. Effective and intelligent integration of projects with other existing/upcoming infrastructure projects is a priority to improve multi-modality in the region, aligning with the whole-of-government approach. This approach aims to enhance India’s infrastructure and transportation networks, facilitating continued growth and development.