PATNA, Aug. 29 -- The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a 53-kilometre-long third rail line between Jamalpur and Bhagalpur at an estimated cost of Rs.1,100 crore. Officials said the new line will help ease traffic pressure on the section, enabling the operation of more passenger and freight trains. It is expected to provide faster and more convenient travel, improve connectivity for hundreds of villages, and generate employment during its three-year construction period. The Centre approved the project on Wednesday. The project forms part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan aimed at modernizing India's rail network. The Railways, with the assistance of the Bihar government, has already begun land acquisition. Currently, about 40-45 goods trains run daily on the existing two lines between Jamalpur and Bhagalpur, but the rising load has necessitated additional capacity. Meanwhile, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a 129-km third and fourth line from Barharwa (Jharkhand) to Bhagalpur (Bihar), at an estimated cost of Rs.4,879.63 crore, is likely to be approved soon. In another development, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest has cleared the construction of a third tunnel near Kali Pahari on the Kiul-Sahibganj loop section, close to Jamalpur railway station in Munger district. The tunnel will help ensure smoother traffic movement on the mountainous stretch. Besides, the Adani Group will establish a Rs.25,000 crore ultra-supercritical thermal power plant at Pirpainti (Bhagalpur). The project, expected to be completed in five years, aims to significantly boost the state's power capacity....