The Sarkhej-Dholera line will run along the Ahmedabad-Dholera expressway.
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the country’s first semi-high-speed rail project between Sarkhej (Ahmedabad) to Dholera in Gujarat. The 134-km double line will be constructed at a cost of Rs 20,667 crore for which a new train having operating speed of 200 kmph is being manufactured.
Dholera is being developed as India’s key manufacturing centre, where an international airport, logistic hub and semiconductor chip plants are coming up. It will also provide connectivity to Lothal National Maritime Heritage Complex (NHMC).
The existing fastest train on the Indian Railways network is Vande Bharat that runs at a maximum speed of 130 kmph. India is also currently manufacturing its own high-speed train at BEML plant in Bengaluru, whose operational speed will be 250 kmph.
The Sarkhej-Dholera line will have 13 stations and the project is expected to be completed in four years. Out of the 134-km line, 74-km will be elevated (on viaducts) and it will have three mega bridges, 39 road under bridges and two rail over bridges.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the project will be integrated with the Metro at Sabarmati, Gandhigram and Vastrapur stations. It will be integrated with the proposed Bullet train station at Sabarmati and have a link to a dedicated freight corridor at Maraiyya near Sanand.
“This is the first project of its kind. It will become the template for the other semi-high-speed projects. Vande Bharat trains will also be allowed to run on the corridor,” said Vaishnaw.
The Sarkhej-Dholera line will run along the Ahmedabad-Dholera expressway. Officials said that a 30-metre-wide corridor from the expressway is available, so there will not be much difficulty in land acquisition.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
