New Delhi [India], September 26 (ANI): Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate, lay the foundation stone for, and flag off a series of railway projects worth over Rs 1,542 crore at Sabarmati in Gujarat on September 27.
The projects include the inauguration of the WAG-12 Sabarmati locomotive maintenance shed, automatic block signalling system on the Sabarmati-Kalol-Bhandu Motidau and Sabarmati-Sanand-Jakhwada sections, doubling of the Sabarmati-Sarkhej railway line, foundation stone laying for the indigenous Kavach safety system on Ahmedabad-Palanpur and Ahmedabad-Samakhiyali sections, and flagging off of a WAG-12 electric locomotive along with India’s first LNG-powered train.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Minister of State Darshanaben Vaghela, MPs Hasmukhbhai Patel and Dineshbhai Makwana, Ahmedabad Mayor Hiteshbhai Barot and other dignitaries will be present at the event.
As part of the projects, the Ahmedabad division will be equipped with the Standard Kavach automatic train protection system across 404 km of railway network at an estimated cost of around Rs 411 crore. The project covers 157 km of the Ahmedabad-Palanpur section and 247 km of the Ahmedabad-Samakhiyali section.
The Kavach system will enhance railway safety by helping prevent collisions, providing protection against overspeeding, and reducing the possibility of accidents caused by human error. It will also improve the reliability of train operations through indigenous technology.
The automatic block signalling system has been introduced on 122.57 km of railway sections between Sabarmati-Kalol-Bhandu Motidau and Sabarmati-Sanand-Jakhwada at a cost of around Rs 118.83 crore. The system will help maintain safe distances between trains and increase the capacity of railway routes by enabling smoother movement.
The event will also witness the flagging off of India’s first LNG-based train. Under the initiative, two 1,400 HP Driving Power Cars at Sabarmati Integrated Coaching Depot have been converted into diesel-LNG dual fuel systems, with LNG replacing nearly 40 per cent of diesel consumption.
The LNG initiative is expected to reduce fuel costs and lower emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, contributing towards cleaner and more sustainable railway operations.
The newly developed WAG-12 locomotive maintenance shed at Sabarmati, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 700 crore, will provide maintenance facilities for 300 high-horsepower WAG-12 electric locomotives. These locomotives, with around 12,000 HP capacity, are designed for transporting heavy and long freight trains.
The Sabarmati-Sarkhej railway line doubling project, estimated at Rs 313.27 crore, will cover a 21-km stretch and is targeted for completion by March 2028. The project includes work related to stations such as Sabarmati, Gandhigram, Vastrapur and Sarkhej, along with bridges and road underpasses.
The doubling of the rail line is expected to improve train movement, enhance connectivity towards the Sarkhej-Dholera region and support industrial and commercial activities in the area.
The projects are aimed at strengthening railway safety, increasing operational capacity and promoting environment-friendly transportation infrastructure in Gujarat. (ANI)
Amit Shah to launch rail projects worth over Rs 1,542 Cr, flag off India's first LNG-powered train in Gujarat on Sept 27
