NPG assesses five infrastructure projects for PM GatiShakti integration, enhancing connectivity and socio-economic benefits.
The 65th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) was held in New Delhi under the chairpersonship of Additional Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Rajeev Singh Thakur, to evaluate five road, rail, and urban transit projects from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Ministry of Railways (MoR), and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). The NPG examined the projects from the perspective of integrated planning based on the PM GatiShakti principles. The project details were analysed based on the planning and mapping of the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP). The key outcomes of the evaluation exercise were discussed with the objective of improving connectivity with various economic and social nodes and multi-modal infrastructure. The projects discussed are summarised below:
- MoRTH: Highway projects in Goa, Meghalaya, and Assam.
The projects from MoRTH pertain to the four-lane construction of a 45-kilometre stretch of NH-66 in the state of Goa and the development cum upgrading of the Mawlyngkhung-Panchgram road from a 2-lane to a 4-lane in the states of Meghalaya and Assam, including a greenfield stretch of 118 km and a brownfield stretch of 43 km. Both projects will have broader economic impacts, including a reduction in logistics costs, a reduction in traffic congestion, and an increase in the average speed of traffic.
- MoR: Construction of Rail-Over-Rail bulb line in Bihar
Additionally, a railway project for the construction of a bulb line at Nabinagar (Ankorha) of approximately 17.49 km in Aurangabad district of Bihar was examined. The construction of the ROR bulb line would result in the grade separation of two railway lines, leading to reduced detention of trains, a decline in transit time, an increase in logistics efficiency of coal movement to the Nabinagar power plant in the vicinity, and enhanced section capacity utilisation of main lines.
- MoHUA: Urban metro transit projects in Bangalore and Delhi/NCR.
The two urban transit metro corridor projects from MoHUA were discussed, including the Rithala-Bawana-Narela-Kundli (Haryana) Metro Corridor of DMRC in the NCR region and Phase-3 of the Bangalore Metro Rail Project of 44.65 km with 2 corridors from JP Nagar to Kempapura along ORR and Hosahalli to Kadabagere along Magadi road. Both projects will result in multi-modal integration of the metro with bus and rail stations, decongestion of roads, travel time savings, fuel cost savings, reliable operation and performance, and a reduction in vehicular emissions and pollution. The NPG suggested that the project proponents plan for adequate transition infrastructure where inter-modal interfaces are involved.
It was emphasised during the meeting that these projects will play a pivotal role in nation-building by integrating various modes of transport, offering substantial socio-economic benefits, and contributing to the overall development of the regions.
