New Delhi [India], May 13 (ANI): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved the Ahmedabad (Sarkhej)-Dholera Semi High-Speed Double Line project of the Ministry of Railways with a total cost of about Rs 20,667 crore. It will be Indian Railways first semi-high-speed project, planned with indigenously developed technology.

Briefing reporters after a meeting of the Union Cabinet, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the project section will provide faster connectivity between Ahmedabad, Dholera SIR, the upcoming Dholera Airport and the Lothal National Maritime Heritage Complex (NHMC).

Connecting Ahmedabad with Dholera will cut down passenger travel time, enabling comfortable daily commuting and same-day return trips. This semi-high-speed railway would not only bring two cities closer but also bring the people living hundreds of kilometres away closer to each other.

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 new line proposal will provide direct connectivity and improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways.

An official release said that the project is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a New India which will make people of the region 'Atmanirbhar' by way of comprehensive development in the area and enhance employment/ self-employment opportunities.

The project is planned on the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan with a focus on enhancing multi-modal connectivity and logistic efficiency through integrated planning and stakeholder consultations. These projects will provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services, the release said.

The project covering the Ahmedabad district in Gujarat will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 134 km.

The proposed projects will enhance connectivity to approx 284 villages, which have a population of about 5 lakh.

The Railways being environment friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimizing logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (0.48 crore litres) and lower CO2 emissions (2 crore kg), which is equivalent to plantation of ten lakh trees, the release said. (ANI)