India's first semi high-speed broad gauge rail corridor, equipped with the indigenously developed Kavach 5.0 automatic train protection system, will be built between Ahmedabad and Dholera in Gujarat at a cost of ₹20,667 crore. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the project earlier this week, with railway and state officials providing further details on Friday, 15 May 2025.

A World First on Broad Gauge

The 134-km Ahmedabad (Sarkhej)–Dholera double-line corridor is designed for a maximum speed of 220 km per hour and an operational speed of 200 km per hour. Officials described it as the first corridor in the world where a semi high-speed train will run at 220 km/h on a broad gauge track — a distinction that sets it apart from global semi high-speed networks, which have until now operated almost exclusively on standard gauge infrastructure.

Ahmedabad Divisional Railway Manager Ved Prakash said the trains would carry the advanced Kavach 5.0 safety system, calling it 'a new benchmark in safety and automatic train protection.' He added that India was preparing to deliver a 220 km/h semi high-speed model using entirely Make in India technology — something no other country had achieved on broad gauge. Namo Bharat trains are expected to operate on the corridor in future.

Key Infrastructure and Connectivity

The corridor will link Ahmedabad, the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR), the upcoming Dholera International Airport, and the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal. The alignment runs parallel to the Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway and will include 13 stations.

The project involves construction of three mega bridges, 74 km of viaducts, 39 road under-bridges, and two rail-over-rail bridges, with a total track length of approximately 293 km. Metro integration is planned at Sabarmati, Gandhigram, and Vastrapur stations. Sabarmati will also connect with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor, while Moriya will link to the Dedicated Freight Corridor — creating the '360-degree connectivity' that officials have highlighted.

Travel Time and Regional Impact

Gujarat Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Das said the project would sharply reduce travel time and strengthen multimodal transport connectivity. According to his estimates, travel time from Sabarmati to Dholera Airport would fall to 48 minutes, while the journey from Sarkhej to Dholera Airport would take around 38 minutes.

The corridor is expected to directly benefit approximately 284 villages and more than five lakh people. It is projected to add annual freight capacity of around 20 lakh tonnes, save roughly ₹54 crore in logistics costs each year, and generate around 91 lakh man-days of employment during construction.

Environmental and Economic Projections

According to project estimates, the rail line could save around 0.48 crore litres of fuel annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly two crore kg each year — an environmental benefit officials compared to planting approximately 10 lakh trees.

The project is being developed under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, aimed at improving multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency nationwide. The Railway Ministry has set a four-year completion target.

What the Government Said

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described the project as 'a new beginning in the history of Indian Railways,' adding that the corridor was 'not merely a railway line, but a symbol of New India's modern, fast and self-reliant transport system' and would give momentum to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Gujarat Chief Secretary Das called the Sarkhej-Dholera corridor a project that would 'take Dholera's development to a new height.'

With Cabinet approval secured and a four-year construction window set, the corridor's execution will be closely watched as a template for similar semi high-speed projects across India.