The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday gave its approval for a new 51 km broad gauge line from Mau to Tarighat, aiming to provide an alternative and convenient route between New Delhi and Howrah.
The CCEA chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleared the rail project to be underatken at an estimated cost of Rs 1,765.92 crore. With 5% escalation per year, the project may finally cost Rs 2,109.07 crore.
The new line would cross Ganga at the downstream of existing road bridge for NH 97 and is located almost parallel to it and joins the existing broadguage line from Tarighat to Dildar Nagar.
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The project is likely to be completed in the next six years spread over 12th and 13th Plan period.
The construction of the new line between Mau station of North Eastern Railway and Tarighat station of East Central Railway will be an alternative route for trains from Howrah to New Delhi and back.
According to railways, the project has a huge potential for enhancing railway traffic.
The project aims to provide alternative, shorter convenient and better transport infrastructure to the area separated by river Ganga so as to remove the transport difficulties in the area and to boost the socio-economic development, according to a release.
In addition, this new line will provide an alternative route connecting Northern Railway and East Central Railway through North Eastern Railway.