PM Modi launches Rs 30,766 crore railway projects in Vadodara

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is launching, dedicating and laying foundation stones for railway and allied infrastructure projects involving Rs 30,766 crore in Vadodara on Tuesday, September 8.

The biggest component of the package is the Rs 20,703 crore Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project. Three sections — Sanand (North)-Makarpura, New Umbergaon-New Sanand and New Sanand-New JNPT — are being dedicated to the nation.

The programme also includes the foundation stone for the Rs 8,885 crore third and fourth railway lines between Vadodara and Ratlam. The additional lines are intended to strengthen rail capacity on an important route connecting Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

A Rs 334 crore rail section between Jabalpur and Tanda Road is also being inaugurated.

Other projects in the programme include the Rs 394 crore gauge conversion of the Vishwamitri-Dabhoi section and a Rs 450 crore Miyagam-Karjan-Chhota Udepur-Godhra road project.

A new train service between Vadodara and Tanda Road is also being launched. According to the programme document, the new service and freight operations on the Dedicated Freight Corridor will be inaugurated by flagging them off.

Vadodara MP Hemang Joshi said Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had conveyed approval for the new MEMU service between Pratapnagar and Tanda Road.

The programme also includes the proposed extension of the Udaipur City-Asarva Vande Bharat Express to Surat via Vadodara.

The Western DFC component is particularly significant for freight movement. The three sections being dedicated form part of the wider freight corridor connecting the northern and western parts of the country.

Separately, the Prime Minister’s Gujarat visit also includes road and other infrastructure works. Three National Highway projects worth around Rs 1,780 crore are being launched, including six-laning of the Kamrej-Chalthan section of NH-48, additional major bridge structures over the Tapi and Narmada on the Vadodara-Surat section of NH-48, and grade-separated structures at Abhava, Mindhola and Khajod junctions on NH-53.

Six-lane flyovers at Kandari Chokdi and Luvara Patia are also being inaugurated to address accident-prone locations on the Vadodara-Surat section.

The wider programme also includes Gujarat government projects worth around Rs 2,600 crore, including Phase II of the Vadodara Urban Development Authority Ring Road and a 110 MW floating solar project at Kadana Dam.