The 92nd Meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) in New Delhi Evaluates Infrastructure Projects for Road and Railway Connectivity
In the bustling city of New Delhi, the network planning group (npg), led by the prime minister’s national master plan (pmgs nmp), has come together to assess critical infrastructure projects that aim to enhance connectivity. The 92nd meeting, held today, focuses on evaluating proposals from two ministries—morth and mor—to address road and railway sectors. These projects are part of a broader initiative by the pmgs to ensure integrated multimodal connectivity and improve logistics efficiency, all aligned with the national master plan.
The deliberations emphasized the importance of multimodal infrastructure for regional development. The npg has proposed four significant proposals: two from morth—a proposal to build a bypass around rishikesh to reduce traffic congestion—and three from mor—projects on railway lines connecting bina and itarsi, as well as the road project in rishikesh. These initiatives aim to improve travel time, enhance freight movement, and generate significant socio-economic benefits for regions like delhi, neemut, roorkee, haridwar, and strategic border points such as manal and Nelang.
The ministry of road transport and highways (morth) highlighted a proposed bypass around rishikesh to decongest the city’s roads. The highway connects key hubs like haridwar, dehradun, b heli, sid cul, and strategic border points, including manal, nelang, and nitra. This project includes elevated and additional lanes, which will provide alternative routes for traffic management and improve overall capacity.
On the other hand, the ministry of railways (mor) proposed a 4th railway line between bina and itarsi, spanning key stations such as naradpuram, rani kamalapati, bhopal, nishatpura, and vidisha. This alignment aims to reduce transit time by approximately 46 minutes and increase sectional speed by 10 km/h, contributing to faster and more efficient rail logistics. The project is expected to connect several key railway stations across the deccan plateau, including lahavit station, which ensures smoother freight movement.
Additionally, the 3rd and 4th railway lines in baha swing are being built across two sections: kasara-igatpuri in the northeastern ghats and igatpuri-manmad in the deccan plateau. The primary aim is to maintain a ruling gradient of 1 in 100, eliminating the need for banking engines while improving energy efficiency. The alignment bypasses several stations and merges with the existing line at lahavit station, ensuring smoother freight movement.
These projects are being implemented as part of a collaboration between the two ministries and stakeholders in infrastructure development. The road project in rishikesh also involves constructing 3rd and 4th railway lines across two sections: kasara-igatpuri in the northeastern ghats and igatpuri-manmad in the deccan plateau. The primary aim is to maintain a ruling gradient of 1 in 100, eliminating the requirement for banking engines while improving energy efficiency.
The proposed 314-km 3rd and 4th lines between baha swing pass through five Maharashtra districts—jalandgaon, buldhana, akola, amravati, and wardha—where new railway tracks, station upgrades, yard reconfiguration, and signaling improvements will be implemented. As part of the mumbai–howrah high-density corridor (hdn-2), this route is critical for decongesting freight traffic and supporting regional development.
In summary, these infrastructure projects are a collective effort by the npg to enhance connectivity and logistics efficiency in the country’s regions. They aim to improve travel time, reduce congestion, and foster economic growth while aligning with the broader goals of the national master plan. The collaboration between morth and mor underscores their commitment to building a resilient and efficient transportation network that supports regional development and ensures sustainable growth for all stakeholders involved.