New Delhi: Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi today approved doubling of Rajkot – Kanalus railway line doubling project at a total estimated cost of Rs. 1,080.58 crore.

Total length of doubling of line is 111.20 km. The project completion time is 4 years.

This initiative will result into increased capacity and more traffic on the system and all round development of Saurashtra region. It will reduce in detention to goods and passenger traffic and give significant boost to tourism. DeshGujarat

Official note:

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi hasapproved doubling of 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. The total length of doubling of 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 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 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. PIB