89th Network Planning Group under PM GatiShakti evaluates eight projects, including Brahmaputra road tunnel and Rajkot Metro
The 89th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) under PM GatiShakti, held on 14 March 2025, evaluated eight road, railway and metro projects, including a four-lane road tunnel under the Brahmaputra between Gohpur and Numaligarh in Assam.
Summary
The 89th meeting of the Network Planning Group under PM GatiShakti was held on 14 March 2025, chaired by DPIIT Joint Secretary Pankaj Kumar. It evaluated eight projects — four road, three railway and one metro — for conformity with PM GatiShakti National Master Plan principles. Road projects: a 136.11 km two-lane Darugiri–Dalu stretch of NH-62 (new NH-217) in Meghalaya's Garo Hills; a four-lane twin-tube road tunnel under the Brahmaputra between Gohpur and Numaligarh, India's first road tunnel under a major river, cutting the distance from 240 km to 34 km; four-laning of the 85.67 km Kaliabor–Numaligarh section in Assam with an elevated corridor for Kaziranga wildlife; and a 138.177 km Mayjilar–Jaisalmer road in Rajasthan. Railway projects: Badlapur–Karjat third and fourth lines in Maharashtra, and the Nergundi–Cuttack fourth line and Haridaspur–Paradip doubling in Odisha. The metro project is the 41.11 km greenfield Rajkot Metro in Gujarat.
Key facts
- Meeting
- 89th NPG, 14 March 2025
- Chair
- Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary, DPIIT
- Projects
- 8: 4 road, 3 railway, 1 metro
- Brahmaputra tunnel
- Gohpur–Numaligarh; 240 km → 34 km; 6.5 h → 30 min
- Meghalaya
- Darugiri–Dalu, NH-62 (new NH-217), 136.11 km
- Odisha rail
- Nergundi–Cuttack 4th line; Haridaspur–Paradip doubling (74.09 km)
- Metro
- Rajkot Metro, 41.11 km, Gujarat
Practice MCQs 4 questions
How many projects did the 89th Network Planning Group meeting under PM GatiShakti evaluate on 14 March 2025?
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Correct answer: D — Eight
The 89th NPG evaluated eight projects: four road, three railway and one metro.
The road tunnel under the Brahmaputra evaluated by the 89th NPG will connect which two places in Assam?
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Correct answer: A — Gohpur and Numaligarh
The four-lane tunnel under the Brahmaputra will link Gohpur and Numaligarh, cutting the distance from 240 km to 34 km.
Which metro rail project was evaluated at the 89th Network Planning Group meeting?
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Correct answer: B — Rajkot Metro
The only metro project was the 41.11 km greenfield Rajkot Metro in Gujarat.
Consider the following statements about the PM GatiShakti Network Planning Group (NPG): 1. Its 89th meeting was chaired by a Joint Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). 2. The Haridaspur–Paradip doubling it evaluated aims to move coal from the Talcher coalfields to Paradip Port. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: DPIIT Joint Secretary Pankaj Kumar chaired the meeting, and the 74.09 km Haridaspur–Paradip doubling is meant to ease coal movement from Talcher to Paradip Port.