These initiatives will improve travel convenience, reduce logistic cost, decrease oil imports and contribute to lower CO2 emissions, supporting sustainable and efficient rail operations
The total estimated cost of the projects is Rs 6,405 crore
The projects will generate direct employment for about 108 lakh human-days during construction

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved Two projects of Ministry of Railways with total cost of Rs. 6,405 crore. These projects include:

1. Koderma – Barkakana Doubling (133 Kms) – The project section passes through a major coal producing area of Jharkhand. Furthermore, it serves as the shortest and more efficient rail link between Patna and Ranchi.

2. Ballari – Chikjajur Doubling (185 kms.) – The project line traverses through Ballari and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka and Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

The increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. These multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion. The projects are in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji’s Vision of a New India which will make people of the region “Atmanirbhar” by way of comprehensive development in the area which will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities.

The projects are result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which have been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.

The two projects covering seven Districts across the states of Jharkhand, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 318 Kms.

The approved multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approx. 1,408 villages, which are having a population of about 28.19 lakh.

These are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as coal, iron ore, finished steel, cement, fertilizers, agriculture commodities, and Petroleum products etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 49 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum). The Railways being environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimizing logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (52 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (264 Crore Kg) which is equivalent to plantation of 11 Crore trees.

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Visit of Prime Minister to UAE, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy (May 15 - 20, 2026)
May 11, 2026

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to the United Arab Emirates on May 15, 2026, where he will meet the President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders will have the opportunity to exchange views on bilateral issues, in particular energy cooperation, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest. They will also discuss ways to advance the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership underpinned by strong political, cultural, economic and people-to-people links. The visit will serve to promote the significant trade and investment linkages between the two countries. The UAE is India’s third largest trade partner and its seventh largest source of investment cumulatively over the past 25 years. With the UAE hosting over 4.5 million - strong Indian community, the visit will also be an opportunity to discuss their welfare.

For the second leg of his visit, at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Rob Jetten, Prime Minister Modi will pay an official visit to the Netherlands from May 15-17, 2026. This will be Prime Minister’s second visit to the Netherlands after his previous visit in 2017. During the visit, Prime Minister will call on Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, and hold talks with Prime Minister Rob Jetten. Prime Minister’s visit will build on the momentum of high-level engagements and close cooperation spanning diverse sectors, including defence, security, innovation, green hydrogen, semiconductors and a Strategic Partnership on Water. Prime Minister’s visit early in the tenure of the new Government will provide an opportunity to further deepen and expand the multifaceted partnership. Netherlands is one of India's largest trade destinations in Europe, with bilateral trade worth USD 27.8 billion (2024-25); and India's 4th largest investor with cumulative FDI of USD 55.6 billion.

For the third leg of the visit, at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sweden, H.E. Mr. Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister will travel on 17-18 May 2026 to Gothenburg, Sweden. Prime Minister had earlier visited Sweden in 2018 for the first-ever India-Nordic Summit. PM Modi will hold bilateral talks with PM Kristersson to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and explore new avenues of cooperation to enhance bilateral trade, which has reached USD 7.75 billion (2025), and Swedish FDI into India which has reached USD 2.825 billion (2000 – 2025), as well as collaboration in green transition, AI, emerging technologies, startups, resilient supply chains, defence, space, climate action and people-to-people ties. The two Prime Ministers will also address the European Round Table for Industry, a leading pan-European business leaders forum, along with H.E. Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

In the fourth leg of his visit, Prime Minister will pay an official visit to Norway from 18 - 19 May 2026 for the 3rd India-Nordic Summit and bilateral engagements. This will be the first visit of Prime Minister Modi to Norway, and will mark the first Prime Ministerial visit from India to Norway in 43 years. Prime Minister will call on with Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja, and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Jonas Gahr Støre. Prime Minister will also address the India-Norway Business and Research Summit along with the Norwegian Prime Minister. The visit will provide an opportunity to review the progress made in India-Norway relations and explore avenues to further strengthen them, with a focus on trade and investment, capitalizing on the India – EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, as well as on clean & green tech and blue economy. The visit will also be an opportunity to induce momentum in bilateral trade worth around USD 2.73 billion (2024), and investments by Norway’s Government Pension Fund (GPFG) of close to USD 28 billion in the Indian capital market.

The 3rd India-Nordic Summit will take place in Oslo on 19 May 2026. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will be joined by the Prime Minister of Norway, H.E. Mr. Jonas Gahr Støre; Prime Minister of Denmark, H.E. Ms. Mette Frederiksen; Prime Minister of Finland, H.E. Mr. Petteri Orpo; Prime Minister of Iceland, Ms. Kristrún Frostadóttir; and Prime Minister of Sweden, Mr. Ulf Kristersson for the Summit. The Summit will build upon the two previous Summits held in Stockholm in April 2018 and in Copenhagen in May 2022, and will impart a more strategic dimension to India’s relationship with the Nordic countries, especially in technology and innovation; green transition and renewable energy; sustainability; blue economy; defence; space and the Arctic. The visit will also provide an impetus to India’s bilateral trade (USD 19 billion in 2024) and investment ties with Nordic countries as well as help build resilient supply chains following the India-EU FTA and India-EFTA TEPA.

In the final leg of his visit, at the invitation of Prime Minister of the Italian Republic, H.E. Ms. Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister will undertake an official visit to Italy from 19–20 May 2026. Prime Minister had last visited Italy in June 2024 for the G7 Summit. During the visit, he will call on the President of the Italian Republic, H.E. Mr. Sergio Mattarella and hold talks with Prime Minister Meloni. The visit takes place in the backdrop of a strong momentum in bilateral ties with both sides proactively implementing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029, a comprehensive road map for cooperation in various sectors including in bilateral trade which reached USD 16.77 in 2025; boosting investment, which has recorded a cumulative FDI of USD 3.66 billion (April 2000-September 2025); defence and security; clean energy; innovation; science and technology; and people - to - people ties.

Prime Minister’s upcoming visit will further deepen India’s partnership with Europe across sectors, particularly trade and investment ties in light of the recently concluded India-EU FTA.