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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a visit to Gujarat, where he will dedicate a series of Railway projects worth over Rs 1,400 crore to the Nation on August 25, a release from the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said on Friday.
These projects are poised to particularly benefit the districts of Mahesana, Patan, Banaskantha, Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad in North Gujarat. Together, they will enhance regional connectivity, spur industrial development, improve logistics efficiency and create new avenues for employment. The projects to be dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister include: doubling of the 65 km Mahesana-Palanpur Rail Line at a cost of Rs 537 cr., gauge conversion of the 37 km Kalol-Kadi-Katosan Road Rail Line at a cost of Rs 347 cr., and gauge conversion of the 40 km Bechraji-Ranuj Rail Line at a cost of Rs 520 cr. With the addition of broad-gauge capacity, these projects will ensure smoother, safer and more seamless connectivity, especially for Mahesana, Banaskantha and Patan districts. This will significantly ease travel for daily commuters, tourists and businesses, while promoting regional economic integration. The doubling of tracks will also enhance line capacity, making it possible to run higher-speed trains on the Ahmedabad-Delhi corridor. This will allow the introduction of more passenger services and bring a marked improvement in the efficiency of freight operations, thereby infusing fresh momentum into Gujarat's economic activities. The gauge conversion of the Bechraji-Ranuj Rail Line has been carried out in alignment with the National Logistics Policy and the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for Multimodal Connectivity. Its primary objective is to reduce logistics costs and further strengthen Gujarat's position in the national Logistics Performance Index. This initiative is expected to accelerate the socio-economic progress of North Gujarat while setting a benchmark in India's logistics and railway sectors. Further, the flagging off of passenger trains between Katosan Road & Sabarmati from Kadi will provide improved access to religious destinations, benefit daily commuters in the region, and stimulate economic activity at the grassroots level. The car-loaded freight train service from Bechraji will enhance connectivity to the state's industrial hubs, strengthening the logistics network and generating employment opportunities. Both services represent sustainable, environmentally friendly, and high-speed transport options that will reduce travel time, attract new investments and drive regional industrial growth. All these Railway projects will pave the way for a Viksit Bharat through Viksit Gujarat. (ANI)
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