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The 107.67 km project will improve connectivity in tribal areas of Dahod, Chhota Udepur, Tapi, and Bharuch, boost access to the Statue of Unity, and reduce travel time by 40%, from 2.5 to 1.5 hours.
Cabinet approves key infrastructure and startup boosts
New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has yesterday approved multiple projects including National Highway (NH)-56 upgradation, establishment of the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0, three projects of Ministry of Railways and Road cum Rail Tunnel under River Brahmaputra. The CCEA was chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
NH-56 Upgradation
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the 4-laning of Dhamasiya–Bitada/Movi (47.46 km) and Nasarpore–Malotha (60.21 km) sections of NH-56 in Gujarat under the Hybrid Annuity Mode, at a cost of Rs4,583.64 crore. The 107.67 km project will improve connectivity in tribal areas of Dahod, Chhota Udepur, Tapi, and Bharuch, boost access to the Statue of Unity, and reduce travel time by 40%, from 2.5 to 1.5 hours.
The project is expected to generate over 42 lakh man-days of employment and stimulate economic activity along the corridor. Managed by NHAI, the work is part of a larger 175 km four-laning of the congested Jambugam–Malotha stretch, linking NH-53, NH-48, and the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway (NE-4), with completion targeted within two years.
Startup Funds
In a major boost to India’s startup ecosystem, the government has approved Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with a corpus of Rs10,000 crore to mobilize venture capital and support innovation-led entrepreneurship nationwide. Building on the success of FFS 1.0, which invested over Rs25,500 crore in more than 1,370 startups, the new fund aims to strengthen India’s venture capital ecosystem, support early-growth founders, promote deep-tech innovation, and expand startup investment beyond major metros. The initiative is expected to create high-quality jobs, enhance India’s global competitiveness, and further the nation’s vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047.
Rail Projects
Indian Railways multi-tracking projects-Kasara-Manmad, Delhi-Ambala, and Ballari-Hosapete-with a total cost of Rs18,509 crore. Covering 12 districts across Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, the projects will add 389 km of new lines, enhancing connectivity for 3,902 villages and around 97 lakh people.
The upgraded lines will boost passenger and freight efficiency, support transport of commodities like coal, steel, cement, and foodgrains, and improve access to tourist destinations including Hampi, Trimbakeshwar, and Vaishno Devi.
Expected to handle an additional 96 MTPA of freight, the projects will also cut logistics costs, reduce oil imports by 22 crore litres, lower CO₂ emissions by 111 crore kg, and align with India’s PM-Gati Shakti plan for integrated, sustainable infrastructure.
Brahmaputra Tunnel
A 4-lane greenfield road project with a 15.79 km twin-tube underwater Road-cum-Rail tunnel under the Brahmaputra in Assam, connecting Gohpur (NH-15) to Numaligarh (NH-715) at a total cost of Rs18,662 crore.
The project, the first of its kind in India and second in the world, will significantly cut travel time from the current 6 hours, enhance freight efficiency, reduce logistics costs, and boost socio-economic growth across Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and other Northeastern states.
Integrating with two major national highways and railway lines, the project will connect key economic, social, and logistic nodes, including airports, railway stations, inland waterways, and tourist destinations. It is expected to generate around 80 lakh person-days of employment and strengthen regional trade, industrial development, and multi-modal connectivity.
