Indian Railways has approved the long-awaited Rajpura-Mohali rail link in Punjab at a cost of Rs 443 crore, according to the Ministry of Railways. Announced on Tuesday, September 24, by Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu, the 18 km line will directly connect the Malwa region with the state capital Chandigarh, cutting travel distance by about 66 km and easing congestion on existing routes.
Direct route after five decades of demand
The new line, sanctioned after more than 50 years of public demand will provide a shorter alternative to the current Rajpura-Ambala route. Officials said the alignment has been chosen to minimise agricultural land acquisition, reducing disruption to farming communities. All 13 districts of the Malwa belt will gain improved access to Chandigarh once the line becomes operational.
Industrial and tourism boost
The project is expected to support Punjab’s textile, manufacturing and agriculture sectors by lowering logistics costs and facilitating faster movement of goods. Railways said it will also strengthen tourism and pilgrimage links by improving access to destinations such as Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib, Haveli Todar Mal, the Sanghol Museum and the shrine of Shaikh Ahmad al-Faruqi al-Sirhindi.
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New Vande Bharat service planned
Alongside the new line, Railways has proposed a Vande Bharat Express between Firozpur Cantt., Bathinda, Patiala and Delhi. The service, expected to run six days a week except Wednesdays will cover the 486 km route in around six hours and 40 minutes.
Record investment in Punjab’s rail network
According to official data, the railway allocation for Punjab will rise to Rs 5,421 crore in 2025-26, compared with an average of Rs 225 crore annually between 2009 and 2014, a 24-fold increase.
Since 2014, 382 km of new lines have been built in the state, 1,634 km electrified, making Punjab fully electrified and 409 road overbridges and underpasses completed. Current works include nine new track projects covering 714 km worth Rs 21,926 crore, modernisation of 30 stations under the Amrit Bharat scheme at Rs 1,122 crore and 88 flyovers and underpasses valued at Rs 1,238 crore.
A separate Firozpur-Patti line has also been approved to connect Punjab’s border districts with major cities and Gujarat ports, creating an economic corridor to reduce logistics costs.
Festival season preparations
Railways will run a record 12,000 special trains for the upcoming Chhath and Diwali rush, up from 7,724 in 2023. More than 10,000 trips have already been notified with 150 unreserved trains ready for deployment and another 50 to be announced shortly. Passenger traffic peaks between October 15 and November 15. Vaishnaw also said railway operations have achieved more than 90 per cent punctuality in 29 out of 70 divisions, with some divisions crossing 98 per cent. The improvement, he noted, stems from better infrastructure, planning and smoother operations.
