India, Sept. 11 -- New Delhi

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved two major infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening rail and road connectivity in poll-bound Bihar and neighbouring states. Together, the projects involve an estimated investment of Rs.7,616 crore.

The first project will double the Bhagalpur-Dumka-Rampurhat railway line. The 177-kilometre stretch, which runs through Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, will be upgraded from a single line to a double line. The sanctioned cost of the railway project is Rs.3,169 crore. The doubling is intended to increase the line's capacity, allowing more trains to operate and improving operational efficiency.

The route is signi...