Cabinet Approves 1.60 Lakh Crore Worth Road and Railway Projects in Final Meeting at South Block

New Delhi

In its final meeting held at South Block, the Union Cabinet approved infrastructure projects related to roads and railways worth ₹1,60,504 crore. The announcement was made on Saturday by Union Minister for Railways and Electronics & IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Going forward, Cabinet meetings will be held at the newly designated government complex, Seva Teerth Complex, which will serve as the new official address of key Government of India offices.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new ‘Seva Teerth’ complex. The facility houses the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), and the Cabinet Secretariat.

Key Decisions Taken in the Final Session at South Block

During its last session at South Block, the Cabinet approved several major decisions concerning railways, national highways, metro expansion, urban reforms, and startup funding.

Urban Challenge Fund Launched

In a transformative step toward urban development, the government approved the launch of the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) with a central assistance outlay of ₹1 lakh crore. The central government will cover 25% of the project cost, provided that at least 50% of the total cost is mobilized from market sources.

Railway Multi-Tracking Projects

The Cabinet approved three multi-tracking railway projects covering 12 districts across Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, with a total investment of ₹18,509 crore. These projects will expand the existing network of Indian Railways by approximately 389 kilometers.

Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0

To strengthen India’s rapidly growing startup ecosystem, the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the establishment of Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with a total corpus of ₹10,000 crore. The initiative aims to mobilize long-term domestic capital and provide robust financial support to startups across the country.

Highway Projects Approved

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the reconstruction and upgradation of the Ghoti–Trimbak (Mokhada)–Jawhar–Manor–Palghar stretch of NH-160A in Maharashtra. The 154.635-kilometer-long project will be undertaken at a cost of ₹3,320.38 crore.

In Telangana, the widening of NH-167 from Gudebellur to Mahabubnagar on the Hyderabad–Panaji Economic Corridor has been approved at a cost of ₹3,175.08 crore. The project will expand the highway to four lanes, enhancing freight efficiency, reducing logistics costs, and accelerating socio-economic development in the region.

To improve road connectivity in Gujarat, the government also approved the expansion of two stretches of NH-56 to four lanes at a total cost of ₹4,583.64 crore.

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