New Delhi, Aug 19: In a bid to expand Bihar’s National Highway network and facilitate faster movement of goods and passengers, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the upgradation of an 82.578 km length of the Muzaffarpur-Sitamarhi-Sonbarsa Section of NH-22 to four-lane, at a total capital cost of Rs 3,590.73 crore.

The project acts as a key feeder corridor connecting the India–Nepal border at Sonbarsa with economic centres like Muzaffarpur at NH-27 (East–West Corridor).

According to the Cabinet, this will significantly reduce congestion in densely populated areas of Muzaffarpur, Muksudpur, Runni Saidpur, Thumma, Dumra, Bhutahi, and Sonbarsa.

“The Muzaffarpur–Sitamarhi–Sonbarsa stretch of NH-22 holds significant strategic and economic relevance, ensuring seamless linkage to the national freight grid,” a Cabinet communique said.

It not only enhances connectivity to industrial zones like Barauni and riverine logistics hubs but also strengthens cross-border passenger and cargo movement via the nearby Land Port at Bhithamore.

Additionally, the upgraded corridor will enhance connectivity to five PM Gati-Shakti Economic Nodes (four Industrial Estates and one Mega Food Park), four Social Nodes (Baba Garibnath Temple, Mata Janki Temple, Punaura Dham, Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi aspirational Districts), and two Logistic Nodes (Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi Railway Stations).

Improved connectivity will facilitate efficient movement of goods and agricultural supply chains, support regional economic growth, and provide better access to important cultural and religious destinations such as the Buddhist Circuit and historic Janaki Punaura Dham Temple, Sitamarhi.

According to the Cabinet, the project has been designed for a speed of 100 kmph with an average speed of 80 kmph, having no at-grade median openings, ensuring fast and safe travel.

Moreover, the project has provision for seven major bridges (including a 340-metre-long major bridge over the perennial Bagmati River), three Railway Over Bridges (ROBs), and two flyovers to maintain cross movement of the traffic and ensure safe, high-speed travel.

New Delhi, Aug 19: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved four multi-tracking railway projects with a total investment of Rs 9,450 crore, which will be completed by 2030-31.

The projects include the Kharagpur-Bhadrak (Ranital) 4th Line across a stretch of 173 km covering West Bengal and Odisha; the second project is a 4th line from Bhadrak to Haridaspur across 75 km in Odisha, while the third is the Gummidipundi-Gudur 3rd and 4th line extending across a distance of 90 km in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, a Cabinet communique said.

The fourth project is the Cuttack to Paradeep (Badabandha) 3rd and 4th lines to cover a 72 km route in Odisha.

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 the Prime Minister’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 employment opportunities, the statement said.

The projects are planned on the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan with a focus on enhancing multi-modal connectivity and logistics efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations. These projects will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods, and services.

The four projects covering eight districts across West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 410 km. The proposed multi-tracking projects will enhance connectivity to approximately 6,448 villages with a population of about 60 lakh, the statement said.

The proposed capacity enhancement will improve rail connectivity to several prominent tourist destinations across the country, including the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhitarkanika National Park, Maa Bhadrakali temple, Maa Dhamarai temple, Panchalingeswar Temple, Talsari–Udaypur and Chandipur Beach, Pulicat Lake, Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, Lord Veeraraghava Perumal Temple, Gada Kujanga Jagannath Temple, Sarala Temple, Dhabaleswar Temple and Lalitgiri, a Buddhist site.

The proposed projects are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as coal, iron ore, cement, iron and steel, containers, automobiles, food grains, etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 76 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum). The Railways, being an environment-friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import ( around 13 crore litres) and lower CO2 emissions (around 65 crore kg), which is equivalent to the plantation of 2.60 crore trees, the statement added.

New Delhi: Gold prices jumped over 9 per cent this month which is about five times the returns of broader equity markets but investors largely moved gains into safer assets rather than reinvesting in precious metals, a report said on Wednesday.

Precious metal inflows dropped from Rs 8,680 crore in June to Rs 4,084 crore in July, while Rs 1,40,390 crore flooded into money market funds against last month’s Rs 65,530 crore of outflows, the report from Vallum Capital said.

The immediate trigger for gold price gains was the US jobs report that came in far weaker than expected, briefly reducing fears of another Federal Reserve interest rate hike, the report added.

Fixed income reversed too from Rs 53,006 crore of outflows in June to Rs 5,947 crore of inflows in July — a Rs 58,954 crore swing in one month.

Within India, auto and transport had exceptional months on the back of the country’s first‑ever 4‑lakh passenger vehicle in July. Technology recovered sharply as global investors rotated out of Korean semiconductor stocks directly into Indian software companies, but Rs 1,345 crore left technology funds anyway.

Healthcare absorbed Rs 737 crore in fresh money, quietly building on over 16.4 per cent for the year.

According to the report, PSU banks gained over 3.8 per cent on strong quarterly results, while private banks’ shares fell -4 per cent as the flow gap between the two widened sharply.

Micro-cap emerged as the strongest performer, delivering 4.6 per cent in one month, 15.9 per cent YTD and 12.7 per cent over one year, while small-cap returned 2.8 per cent in the month, 11.4 per cent YTD and 13.3 per cent over one year.

Large-cap funds, meanwhile, sit at -3.9 per cent YTD yet absorbed Rs 14,977 crore in July flows, up Rs 5,291 crore from June, the report noted.