Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah launched railway projects worth more than Rs. 14.72 bn in Gujarat on September 27, 2026. The projects, inaugurated at Sabarmati, include India’s first LNG-powered train, a WAG-12 locomotive maintenance shed, the Kavach safety system, automatic signalling and doubling of the Sabarmati-Sarkhej line.

The LNG train uses a diesel and liquefied natural gas dual-fuel system in two 1,400 HP Driving Power Cars at the Sabarmati Integrated Coaching Depot. LNG can replace around 40 per cent of diesel, while more than 2,000 km of field trials have been completed. Estimated annual savings are Rs. 1.19 mn for one Driving Power Car and Rs. 2.39 mn for an 8-coach rake.

The non-air-conditioned chair car train operated between Sabarmati and Mahesana during its inaugural run, although its regular route has not been finalised. The WAG-12 maintenance shed, developed at a cost of around Rs. 7 bn, will support 300 high-horsepower electric locomotives, each with a capacity of around 12,000 HP, for heavy freight operations.

Around Rs. 4.11 bn is being spent to install Kavach, an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system, across 404 km in the Ahmedabad Division. The coverage includes 157 km of the Ahmedabad-Palanpur section and 247 km of the Ahmedabad-Samakhiali section. The system is designed to reduce collision risks, control overspeeding and limit errors during train operations.

Automatic Block Signalling has been installed across 122.57 km at a cost of around Rs. 1.19 bn, covering the Sabarmati-Kalol-Bhandu Motidaur and Sabarmati-Sanand-Jakhwada sections. The Rs. 3.13 bn doubling project for the 21-km Sabarmati-Sarkhej line is targeted for completion by March 2028 and includes work at four stations, 16 minor bridges, 13 Road Under Bridges, one major bridge and six level crossings.