Context:

Recently, the 74th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) under PM GatiShakti was convened in New Delhi. 

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• The meeting was convened under the chairpersonship of the Additional Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
• The progress on Five significant infrastructure projects from the Ministry of Railways (MoR), Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) were reviewed in the meeting.
• Network Planning Group (NPG) evaluated all the projects from the perspective of their alignment with the principles of PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP)

Balaram – Tentuloi New Railway Line (MCRL Phase II) in Odisha

• It is a greenfield rail line project of 49.58 km in Angul district to provide vital first-mile rail connectivity for 11 coal blocks.
• It aims to reduce logistics costs for industries, generate employment and enhance the transport efficiency of coal.

Budhapank – Luburi New Railway Line (MCRL Outer Corridor) in Odisha

• It is a greenfield rail line project with 106 km. It will support efficient coal evacuation from the Mahanadi River Basin.
• It facilitates the transportation of coal from Talcher Coal Fields, providing first-mile rail connectivity to 21 coal and reducing costs for core industries like iron and steel.

Lucknow Metro Rail Project Phase I-B East-West Corridor (Charbagh to Vasant Kunj) in Uttar Pradesh

• It extends the Lucknow metro corridor by 11.165 kilometres to address the city's growing transportation needs. 
• It will serve the city’s most densely settled central business districts (CBDs), including Aminabad, Alambagh, Faizabad and Charbagh area. 
• The development plan emphasizes the use of renewable energy through rooftop installations to reduce conventional energy consumption.

Upgradation of existing 6 Lane Road including elevated corridor of NH-47 (Narol Jn. to Sarkhej Jn.) in Gujarat

• This brownfield project involves upgrading a 10.63 km section of NH-47 to address increasing traffic congestion in the southern part of Ahmedabad connecting to major highways and expressways.

4-laning of Section of NH-166 from Chokak to Sangli (Ankali) in Maharashtra

• This project involves the four-laning of a 33.6 km section of NH-166, enhancing connectivity between key regions i.e., between Kolhapur & Sangli in the state of Maharashtra.

About Network Planning Group (NPG)

• It is an integrated Multimodal Network Planning Group (NPG) with heads of the Network Planning Division of all connectivity infrastructure Ministries & Departments responsible for unified planning and integration of the proposals. 
• Its role is to ensure – integration of networks, enhance optimization through modification/expansion/ new network creation, avoid duplication of works for holistic development of any region, reduction in logistics costs through micro-plan detailing.

About PM GatiShakti

• • Prime Minister launched PM Gati Shakti - National Master Plan in October 2021 for providing Multi-modal Connectivity infrastructure to various economic zones. 
• • It is essentially a digital platform to bring 16 Ministries including Railways and Roadways together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.
• • It incorporates the infrastructure schemes of various Ministries and State Governments like Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry/land ports, UDAN etc.