Key Points

The projects include the Rs 537-crore doubling of the 65 km Mehsana–Palanpur line, gauge conversion of the 37 km Kalol–Kadi–Katosan Road line at a cost of Rs 347 crore, and the Rs 520-crore gauge conversion of the 40 km Becharaji–Ranuj line.

According to officials, the new infrastructure will provide faster, safer, and seamless connectivity across Mehsana, Patan, Banaskantha, Gandhinagar, and Ahmedabad districts.

The enhanced line capacity is also expected to ease congestion on the busy Ahmedabad–Delhi route, allowing more passenger trains and improving freight movement.

As part of the visit, PM Modi will also flag off a new passenger train between Katosan Road and Sabarmati and inaugurate a car-loaded freight train from Becharaji, which is expected to strengthen industrial logistics and reduce transport costs under the PM Gati Shakti plan.

Officials said the projects will not only save travel time but also open new avenues for tourism, local trade, and job creation, while making rail transport more sustainable and environment-friendly.

Gujarat boasts a well-developed and strategically important railway network -- it encompasses approximately 5,301 route km, with a total of around 6,357 running track km and 7,938 track km when accounting for multiple lines on the same route.

As of December 2024, the state’s broad-gauge network extended over 4,087 km, of which 3,972 km — or nearly 97 per cent — has been electrified.

The state is well-connected with broad-gauge lines covering most regions, linking major cities like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, and Bhuj to the rest of the country. It serves as a crucial freight and passenger hub, with key routes handling industrial cargo such as petroleum, cement, salt, coal, and agricultural produce.

- IANS