The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved the doubling of the Rajkot-Kanalus railway line. The total estimated cost of the project will be Rs.1,080.58 crore and its escalated / completion cost is Rs.1,168.13 crore.
About the project:
- The total length of the doubling of the line is 111.20 km.
- The project will be completed in four years.
- The existing goods traffic handled on the section mainly consists of POL, Coal, Cement, Fertilizer and Food grains.
- The freight is generated from industries connected to private sidings taking off from the project route alignment.
- Future substantial Goods traffic is projected by big industries like Reliance Petroleum, ESSAR oil and Tata Chemical.
- The single line BG section between Rajkot-Kanalus has become over saturated and there is a need for an additional parallel BG line to ease out operational working.
- 30 pairs of passenger/mail express trains are plying on the section and existing line capacity utilization with the maintenance block is up to 157.5%.
- Detention to both Goods and Passenger traffic will be reduced considerably after doubling.
- Doubling of the section will increase the capacity and more traffic can be introduced on the system.
- The proposed doubling from Rajkot to Kanalus would lead to all round development of Saurashtra region.
Source: PIB-Press Release | Image Credit (representational): MoR
