Tatanagar: Cabinet approves Jamshedpur-Purulia-Asansol 3rd line railway project

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, August 28: The Cabinet has given the green light to the Jamshedpur-Purulia-Asansol 3rd Line Project, aimed at significantly enhancing rail infrastructure and connectivity between West Bengal and Jharkhand. Spanning 121 kilometres and with a budget of Rs 2,170 crore, this ambitious project is scheduled for completion within five years.

The new 3rd Line will bolster a crucial railway link across Purulia and Bardhaman districts in West Bengal, and East Singhbhum in Jharkhand. It will include 17 stations in West Bengal and 2 in Jharkhand, along with the construction of 18 major bridges and 142 minor bridges.

This upgrade will improve connectivity with major trunk routes like Delhi-Howrah and Howrah-Mumbai, accelerating the transport of iron ore and coal to steel plants in Burnpur and Durgapur, and facilitating the movement of finished steel. Additionally, it will enhance access to tourist attractions such as Maithan Dam and pilgrimage sites like Kalyaneswari Temple.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also approved two other railway projects totalling Rs 6,456 crore, to be completed by 2028-29. These projects, part of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, will cover seven districts across four states—Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh—expanding the Indian Railways network by approximately 300 kilometres.

The approved projects are expected to generate around 114 lakh man-days of employment during construction, enhance logistical efficiency, and improve connectivity for around 1,300 villages, benefiting a population of nearly 30 lakh. The capacity expansion will support an additional freight traffic of 45 million tonnes per annum, boosting economic growth and supply chain efficiency.