Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved electrification of remaining un-electrified broad gauge (BG) routes of Indian Railways.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said after the Cabinet meeting in New Delhi that with this a total of 13,675 km of un-electrified routes will be electrified at a cost of Rs 12,000 crore.

The decision will lead to significant benefits in the areas of safety, capacity, speed, energy security and sustainability in the railways, Goyal said.

Post electrification, railway is likely to save over Rs 13,500 crore per annum in fuel bill. It will generate direct employment of about 20.4 crore man-days during the period of construction, he added.