Govt approves expansion of Rajkot-Kanalus railway line

The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the doubling of Rajkot-Kanalus railway line and Neemuch-Ratlam railway line at a completion cost of Rs 2,353 crore. The project's total estimated cost is Rs.1,095.88 crore, with an escalated cost of Rs.1,184.67 crore. The line's doubling is 132.92 km long in total. With maintenance blocks, the Neemuch-Ratlam section's line capacity utilisation is up to 145.6%. Even without the maintenance block, the project route section has become over-saturated, far exceeding its optimum capacity. Coal for captive power plants owned by cement companies is the most common inbound freight. Due to the availability of large deposits of cement grade limestone in the Neemuch-Chittorgarh area, traffic on the section will continue to rise as new cement industries emerge. The capacity of the Nimach-Ratlam section will be increased by doubling it. As a result, more freight and passenger trains can be added to the system. Additional freight traffic of 5.67 million tonnes per year is expected from the first year, increasing to 9.45 million tonnes per year in the eleventh year due to the proximity of cement industries. This will improve connectivity and contribute to the region's socio-economic development. Many historical sites, including the Fort of Unchagarh, are located within the project area, which will help to boost tourism in the area. Image SourceAlso read: Centre nods doubling of Neemuch-Ratlam railway line in MP