New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) The central government on Wednesday approved two projects for doubling of the Ranchi-Bondamunda and Kiul-Gaya railway lines costing a total of Rs.3,276.16 for 282.5 km.

The two projects were approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) which met here under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the CCEA, the doubling of the Ranchi-Bondamunda railway line which spans 158.5 km will have a completion cost of Rs.1,921.94 crore.

The project is expected to be completed in the next six years during the 12th and 13th plan period.

"Doubling of this line will augment the line capacity of the section and serve freight traffic needs of the upcoming super thermal power plant at Barch and other thermal power plants like Katni and Baruni. The construction of double line will ease traffic bottlenecks," the CCEA said in a statement.

"Ranchi, Gumla and Simdega districts of Jharkhand and Sundargarh district of Odisha will be benefited through this project."

The statement elaborated that with the expansion of the Bokaro and Rourkela steel plants, the utilisation of the existing line capacity will be to the tune of 226 percent and 171 percent respectively.

"The additional volume of raw materials and finished steel that will move over the project section will be at the level of 10 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) by 2025-26," the statement cited.

In addition, the CCEA approved the doubling of 124 km long Kiul-Gaya railway line with a completion cost of Rs.1,354.22 crore.

"Doubling of this line will greatly ease the ever increasing freight traffic between these sections. The project is likely to be completed by 2019-20," the CCEA said in a separate statement.

"Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, Nawadah and Gaya districts of Bihar will be benefited through this project."