Gandhinagar: Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi has today approved Taranga Hill-Ambaji-Abu Road new rail line project to provide connectivity and improve mobility.

The estimated cost of this project is Rs. 2798.16 crore and will be completed by 2026-27. The total length of this proposed line shall be 116.65 kms.

Proposed line will attract investment and trigger socio-economic development in the area. It will create employment opportunity for about 40 lakh man-days during construction. It will also result into increased connectivity to two pilgrimage destinations; Ambaji shaktipeeth and Ajitnath Jain temple. It will make faster movement of agricultural and local products possible. It will also offer an alternative route for existing Ahmedabad – Abu Road railway line.

There are 15 railway stations proposed on this line, of which 8 shall be crossing and 7 shall be halt stations. The project may involve construction of 11 tunnels, 54 major bridges, 151 small bridges, 8 road over bridges, 54 road under bridge/limited height bridge. The route will be electrified. DeshGujarat

Official note:

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the construction of Taranga Hill-Ambaji- Abu Road new rail line to be constructed by Ministry of Railways at an estimated cost of Rs.2798.16 crore.

The total length of the new rail line will be 116.65 kms. The project will be completed by 2026-27. The project will generate direct employment during construction for about 40 lakh mandays.

In line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision of a New India, the project is going to enhance connectivity and improve mobility leading to overall socio economic development of the region.

HM Amit Shah hails PM Modi's decision to link Ambaji and Ajitnath Mandirs with railway connectivity https://t.co/ZT2Ee9p62O

— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) July 13, 2022

Ambaji is a famous important pilgrimage destination and is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths in India and attracts millions of devotees from Gujarat as well as other parts of the country and abroad every year. The construction of this line will facilitate easy travel for these millions of devotees. Further, the devotees visiting the Ajitnath Jain temple (one of the 24 holy Jain Tirthankaras) at Taranga Hill would also be greatly benefitted by this connectivity. This railway new line between Taranga Hill-Ambaji- Abu Road will connect these two important religious sports with railway’s main network.

This line will facilitate faster movement of agricultural and local products and also provide improved mobility of the people in the region within the state of Gujarat and Rajasthan and also to other parts of the country. This project will also provide alternative route for existing Ahmedabad-Abu Road railway line.

The alignment of the proposed doubling will traverse through Sirohi district of Rajasthan and Banaskantha and Mahesana districts of Gujarat. The construction of new rail line will attract investment and lead to overall socio-economic development of the region. PIB