Chhattisgarh is a mineral-rich, agriculturally capable, and industrially capable state. The state is dependent on its rail network, which acts as a lifeline to its growth and connectivity. The railways are of importance in the development of the state economy, industrialization, tourism, rural outreach, and job creation. Realizing this, Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai has made railway development a priority since the start of the year 2023, which revisits old projects and brings the idea of new projects to change the structure of the state.
Chhattisgarh and its ever-changing railway system have developed into one of the biggest projects in India with the support of its development-oriented policies of the central government under its rule. The railway setup in the state is grouped into three large areas: the South East Central Railway (SECR) with headquarters at Bilaspur, the South Eastern Railway (SER) with jurisdiction over regions such as Korba and Raigarh, and the East Coast Railway serving Bastar. Although the number of stations is nearly 1,100, the large number is still not connected to many tribal, hilly, and remote regions; hence, there is an urgent need to enhance accessibility and increase the frequency of trains in industrial pockets like Korba, Bhilai, Raipur, and Durg.
Some major initiatives behind this growth would be the Kharsia Naya Raipur Parmalaksa line, sanctioned at 8741 crores, that would cover the state end-to-end. The Bilaspur 235 km (380 km) to the Ambikapur third line, which will cost 3,800 crore rupees, is also under construction to increase coal transportation and freight capabilities, and the Jagdalpur 284 km (457 km) to Raipur is under construction to increase tourist facilities, defense transportation, and job creation. Also, the Khadgaon-Bailadila mineral corridor, which is going to increase the iron ore transportation and growth of industries in Bastar, is a joint venture between NMDC and Indian Railways.
Along with the station upgradation, bridges, flyovers, and underpassings, these aspects are developing Chhattisgarh as a major railway hub and were a major aspect of the increased transportation links within central India.
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