Union Cabinet Approves Rs 1,600 Cr Irrigation Scheme, 6-Lane Zirakpur Bypass & Railway Line Doubling Project.

National

On April 09, 2025, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, approved the following major proposals and schemes:


      - The Union Cabinet approved a new sub-scheme called M-CADWM under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). It has a financial allocation of Rs 1,600 crore for the year 2025 to 2026. The scheme is aimed at enhancing water use efficiency and strengthening irrigation infrastructure across the country.

      - The Cabinet approved the construction of a 6-lane access-controlled Zirakpur Bypass, covering Punjab and Haryana, to be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM). This project will decongest traffic and enhance connectivity in the region.

      - The Union Cabinet approved the doubling of the 104 kilometre-long Tirupati–Pakala–Katpadi single railway line section. This railway stretch spans across Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The project has an estimated cost of Rs 1,332 crore and aims to enhance rail capacity while improving regional transport efficiency.

Main Point :-   (i) The project will not only enhance connectivity to the famous Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh but will also provide improved rail access to other major pilgrimage sites such as the Sri Kalahasti Shiva Temple in Sri Kalahasti, Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple in Chittoor district, and Chandragiri Fort in Tirupati. This is expected to attract a large number of pilgrims and tourists from across the country.

      (ii) The multi-tracking initiative will significantly improve connectivity to around 400 villages and benefit approximately 14 lakh people living in the region.

(iii) In addition to boosting infrastructure, the project will support India’s climate goals by reducing annual oil imports by nearly 4 crore liters and cutting down Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions by about 20 crore kilograms. This environmental benefit is equivalent to planting 1 crore trees.

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