In a significant development, five crucial infrastructure projects encompassing roads and railways have been recommended for approval under the PM GatiShakti initiative, according to the commerce and industry ministry’s announcement on Friday.
These projects underwent evaluation during the 65th Network Planning Group (NPG) meeting, emphasizing integrated planning aligned with the principles of PM GatiShakti. The project details were meticulously examined based on the planning and mapping on the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP).
The assessed projects include highway developments in Goa, Meghalaya, and Assam, construction of a rail-over-rail bulb line in Bihar, and urban metro transit projects in Bengaluru and Delhi/NCR.
The inter-ministerial NPG convenes fortnightly to appraise infrastructure projects, ensuring multi-modality, synchronization of efforts, and comprehensive development in and around the project locations.
Launched to foster integrated infrastructure development and reduce logistics costs, the PM GatiShakti initiative directs all logistics and connectivity infrastructure projects with investments exceeding Rs 500 crore through the NPG. The NPG’s approval is a prerequisite before the clearance of projects by the Public Investment Board (PIB) or the Department of Expenditure under the finance ministry.
Notably, the majority of projects recommended by the group are related to roads, railways, and urban development, underscoring the government’s commitment to bolstering these crucial sectors.
As India aims for robust infrastructure, the PM GatiShakti initiative continues to play a pivotal role in streamlining project approvals and ensuring strategic development in the transportation and connectivity domains.