NEW DELHI: In a major push towards railway modernisation and high-speed connectivity, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved India’s first indigenously developed semi high-speed rail corridor between Ahmedabad (Sarkhej) and Dholera in Gujarat at an estimated cost of ₹20,667 crore.
The 134-km double-line rail project, cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is designed for speeds of up to 220 kmph, while trains are expected to operate at 200 kmph. The corridor is targeted for completion by 2030-31.
Officials said the project will become Indian Railways’ first semi high-speed rail corridor built entirely using indigenous technology under the government’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” vision.
The new rail line will connect Ahmedabad with the rapidly developing Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR), the upcoming Dholera International Airport and the Lothal National Maritime Heritage Complex. The government believes the project will transform regional mobility and strengthen Gujarat’s position as a major industrial and logistics hub.
According to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the corridor is expected to sharply reduce travel time between Ahmedabad and Dholera, making daily commuting and same-day return journeys possible. Reports suggest travel time from Sabarmati to Dholera could come down to nearly 48 minutes.
According to reports, the corridor will feature 13 stations and is expected to use a semi high-speed regional rail model similar to Namo Bharat operations. There are also future plans to extend the corridor towards Bhavnagar.
The government said the project has been planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan to improve multimodal connectivity, logistics efficiency and integrated infrastructure planning. The rail line is expected to support both passenger and freight movement across the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor region.
Officials added that the project would improve connectivity for nearly 284 villages with a combined population of around five lakh people. The Centre also highlighted the environmental benefits of the corridor, estimating a reduction of around 0.48 crore litres in oil imports and nearly 2 crore kg in carbon emissions, equivalent to planting about 10 lakh trees.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel welcomed the Cabinet approval and called the project a “historic milestone” for the state’s infrastructure development. He said the corridor could serve as a model for the expansion of semi high-speed rail projects across India in the coming years.
The Ahmedabad-Dholera project comes as India simultaneously expands conventional rail upgrades, Vande Bharat services and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, reflecting the country’s broader ambition to build a multi-tier high-speed rail network.
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