Kamal Ghorui
Trains at the speed of 220 kmph may soon run on Indian Railways with the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, led by PM Narendra Modi, approving a new railway line. The CCEA gave its go ahead for Ahmedabad (Sarkhej) – Dholera semi high-speed double line project on Wednesday. Sabarmati to Dholera travel time will come down to 48 minutes with the new railway line, Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.The project will come up under the Ministry of Railways at an estimated investment of around Rs 20,667 crore. The corridor will become the first semi high-speed rail project of Indian Railways to be developed using indigenous technology, according to the Cabinet release.The proposed rail line is expected to improve connectivity between Ahmedabad, Dholera Special Investment Region, the upcoming Dholera International Airport and the Lothal National Maritime Heritage Complex. Faster rail access between Ahmedabad and Dholera is likely to significantly reduce travel duration, making daily commuting and same-day return journeys more convenient for passengers. Being India’s first semi high-speed rail corridor, the project is expected to act as a benchmark for the future phased rollout of similar rail networks across the country, the release said.The new railway line is aimed at strengthening direct connectivity and improving mobility while enhancing operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways.The corridor has been planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan with an emphasis on integrated planning, multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency through coordination among stakeholders. The initiative is expected to facilitate smoother movement of passengers, goods and services.Spread across the Ahmedabad district of Gujarat, the project will add nearly 134 kilometres to the existing railway network. It is also expected to improve connectivity for nearly 284 villages with a combined population of around five lakh people.As rail transport is considered energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable, the project is expected to contribute towards climate objectives and help reduce the country’s logistics costs. It is also projected to lower oil imports by about 0.48 crore litres and cut carbon emissions by nearly 2 crore kilograms, an impact considered equivalent to planting around 10 lakh trees.
