India's first semi high-speed train corridor is coming: All about Rs 20,667 crore project 

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved a Rs 20,667 crore semi-high-speed double-line railway project connecting Ahmedabad and Dholera in Gujarat.

The Ahmedabad (Sarkhej)-Dholera project will become Indian Railways' first semi-high-speed rail corridor developed with indigenous technology, according to the Cabinet statement.

Semi-high-speed rail for Ahmedabad-Dholera

The railway line will connect Ahmedabad, the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR), the upcoming Dholera airport and the Lothal National Maritime Heritage Complex.

The Centre said the project would significantly reduce travel time between Ahmedabad and Dholera, enabling daily commuting and same-day return travel.

"This semi-high-speed railway would not only bring two cities closer but also bring the people living hundreds of kilometers away, closer to each other," the government said.

The project is being positioned as a model for future semi-high-speed rail expansion across India. 

"As India's first semi high-speed rail project, the project will serve as a pioneer project acting as a reference model for the phased expansion of semi high-speed rail across the country," the Cabinet said.

'Will improve connectivity for 284 villages'

The proposed railway line will span around 134 km and increase the existing Indian Railways network in Gujarat. The project will improve connectivity for around 284 villages with a combined population of nearly five lakh people.

The government said the corridor was planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan with a focus on multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency. The Centre also linked the project to Modi's "New India" vision and said it would create employment and self-employment opportunities in the region.

The rail corridor is expected to improve mobility, service reliability and direct connectivity while supporting lower logistics costs.

The government added that the project would help reduce oil imports by an estimated 0.48 crore litres and cut carbon emissions by around 2 crore kilograms, which it said was equivalent to planting 10 lakh trees.

Last month, the Railway Board approved the manufacturing of two new trainsets with a design speed of 220 kmph, marking a major step in India's semi-high-speed rail push.