Govt wants 2 new rail lines in state, awaits Central nod

Blurb: Project for Kaithal city to cost Rs191.73 cr; direct rail link from Jhajjar to Narnaul to herald new era of development in south Haryana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 4

To improve and strengthen road and rail connectivity in the state, the government has sent a proposal for two new railway lines to the Centre for approval.

An official spokesperson said the state government had taken special initiative to strengthen the roads, expand the Metro and develop the Regional Rapid Transit System Corridor. He said a joint venture has been set up through which various railway projects were being implemented in public-private partnership. “Work is underway to close the unmanned railway crossings and Railway Over Bridge or Railway Under Bridge are being constructed wherever required,” he added.

He said the Central Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs recently approved the 121.742 km electrified broad gauge line of Haryana Orbit Rail Corridor from Palwal to Sonepat at an estimated cost of Rs 5,617.69 crore.

Now, Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited has sent proposals for two new projects to the Centre, including a railway line with an estimated cost of Rs 191.73 crore for Kaithal city and to conduct a feasibility study of Jhajjar-Narnaul new railway line, he added.

He said direct rail connectivity would be available from Jhajjar to Narnaul, which would herald a new era of development in south Haryana. The 85-km railway line will connect north and south Haryana and will also connect the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and the integrated multi-model logistics hub being set up at Nangal Chowdhury.

He said after Rohtak, Kaithal would be the second city where an elevated railway track would be constructed. He said after the construction of 135 km six-lane Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway, five new cities viz. Panchgram would be developed within a radius of 2 km of this route.

He said: “KMP Expressway runs through Sonepat, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Palwal and Mewat districts of Haryana. With this, the Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal Expressway or Eastern Peripheral Expressway has become operational, which is a major relief for people heading to Gurugram from outside Delhi. The completion of these projects has reduced traffic pressure not only in northern Haryana but also in the NCR and parts of the western states connecting Ghaziabad, Noida have been provided with a speed link from Gurugram, Faridabad and Palwal districts of south Haryana.”

Similarly, the Delhi Metro has been expanded from Gurugram to Manesar. Work is also progressing rapidly on the proposal to connect Gurugram with Faridabad by Metro.