In a major boost to regional connectivity, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved… $Rs 20,667 Crore Ahmedabad (Sarkhej) – Dholera Semi-Double Line Project.
The Ministry of Railways posted on X that it will take just 48 minutes from Ahmedabad (Sarkhej) to reach Dholera.
According to a press release issued by CCEA, the 134-kilometre-long project, featuring indigenous technology, is set to significantly reduce travel time between Ahmedabad and Dholera, enabling seamless daily commutes and same-day return trips.
The project section will provide faster connectivity between Ahmedabad and Dholera SIR (Special Investment Zone), the upcoming Dholera Airport and the Lothal National Maritime Heritage Complex (NHMC). Connecting Ahmedabad with Dholera will reduce travel time of passengers, enabling convenient daily commute and same-day return flights. This semi-high-speed railway will not only bring two cities closer together, but will also bring people living hundreds of kilometers apart.
This will be the first semi-high-speed project of Indian Railways, planned using indigenously developed technology.
This semi-high-speed railway will not only bring the two cities closer together, but will also bring people living hundreds of kilometers apart closer together.
As India’s first semi-high-speed rail project, the project will be a flagship project, serving as a reference model for the phased expansion of semi-high-speed rail across the country.
The new line proposal will provide direct connectivity and improve mobility, providing improved efficiency and service reliability to Indian Railways.
The project is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modiji’s vision of New India, which will make the people of the region ‘Atmanirbhar’ through comprehensive development of the region, which will enhance their employment/self-employment opportunities.
The project is planned in accordance with the National Master Plan PM-Gati Shakti with a focus on enhancing multi-modal connectivity and logistics efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations. These projects will provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods and services.
The project covering Ahmedabad district in Gujarat will increase the existing Indian Railways network by about 134 km.
The proposed projects will enhance connectivity to about 284 villages with a population of about 5,000 people.
Railways, as an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient mode of transport, will help achieve climate goals and reduce the country’s logistics cost, reduce oil import (0.48 crore litres) and reduce carbon dioxide emissions (2 crore kg), which is equivalent to planting 10 (ten) thousand trees.
