New Delhi, Sep 23 (NationPress) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Tuesday that the Centre has approved the construction of a new railway line linking Rajpura to Mohali in Punjab with an investment of Rs 443 crore. This 18 km railway line will create a direct connection from the southern part of Punjab to the state capital, Chandigarh.

Previously, trains from Ludhiana had to navigate through Ambala to reach Chandigarh, which extended both distance and travel time. With this new route, travel distance will be reduced by approximately 66 km, as stated by the minister.

This development will enhance connectivity for all 13 districts in the Malwa region with Chandigarh. It will alleviate congestion on the current Rajpura-Ambala line and shorten the Ambala-Morinda connection.

This route was selected due to its minimal requirement for agricultural land acquisition, thereby ensuring reduced disruption to farming activities.

The minister emphasized that this project is expected to foster growth in industries such as textiles, manufacturing, and agriculture. It will create a robust network linking Punjab’s agricultural core to key commercial hubs and ports, allowing quicker transport of agricultural goods and lowering costs for industries, including the Rajpura Thermal Power Plant.

Furthermore, it will enhance access for pilgrims to various religious sites, including Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib, the shrine of Shaikh Ahmad al-Faruqi al-Sirhindi, and historical locations like Haveli Todar Mal and the Sanghol Museum.

A new Vande Bharat Express service has also been proposed, connecting Firozpur Cantt to Delhi via Bhatinda and Patiala. This service will operate six days a week (except Wednesdays), covering the 486 km in approximately 6 hours 40 minutes.

The minister noted that railway investment in Punjab surged from an average of Rs 225 crore annually during 2009-14 to Rs 5,421 crore in 2025-26, representing a 24-fold increase compared to the previous administration.

Currently, railway projects worth Rs 25,000 crore are in progress in Punjab, which includes 9 new track projects spanning 714 km valued at Rs 21,926 crore, the development of 30 Amrit stations costing Rs 1,122 crore, and 88 flyovers and underpasses worth Rs 1,238 crore.

The Firozpur-Patti rail line will be vital for connectivity between border districts and Gujarat ports, establishing an economic corridor that links Punjab’s border areas of Amritsar, Taran Taran, and Firozpur to major cities and Gujarat ports, significantly cutting down logistics costs.

In other significant railway updates, Vaishnaw announced a record of running 12,000 special trains for the Chhath and Diwali festivities this year, surpassing the 7,724 special trains operated last year to manage the festive rush.