INDIA: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the construction of a proposed 116·7 km railway to serve the pilgrimage centre of Ambaji on the border between Gujarat and Rajasthan.
The broad gauge line would run south from a junction at Abu Road on North Western Railway’s electrified Jaipur – Ahmedabad main line in southern Rajasthan. It would continue beyond Ambaji as far as Taranga Hill, which is currently served by a metre gauge branch from Mahesana in Gujarat.
The project is to be undertaken by the Ministry of Railways at an estimated cost of Rs28bn, with completion planned for 2026-27. The government said the railway would facilitate the faster movement of agricultural and other local products, and improve mobility for local people to boost socio-economic development in the region.
Ambaji is an important pilgrimage destination, attracting millions of visitors every year. The line is also expected to improve connectivity for the Ajitnath Jain temple at Taranga Hill, dating from 1121, which is said to be one of the best-preserved temples in Gujarat.
