In a major boost to Punjab’s railway infrastructure, Indian Railways on Tuesday approved an 18-kilometre rail line connecting Rajpura to Mohali in Punjab at a cost of ₹443 crore. The move aims to improve connectivity and boost economic activity in the state.
The new line, announced by Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu, will directly link the Malwa region with Chandigarh, reducing travel distance by about 66 km and easing congestion on the existing Rajpura–Ambala route. The project was designed to minimize agricultural land acquisition.
The rail line is expected to strengthen industries such as textiles, manufacturing, and agriculture, facilitate faster movement of produce, lower transportation costs, and enhance access to pilgrimage and tourist sites, including Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib and Sanghol Museum.
A new Vande Bharat Express has also been proposed to run between Firozpur Cantt., Bathinda, Patiala, and Delhi six days a week, covering 486 km in around six hours and 40 minutes.
Railway investment in Punjab has increased nearly 24-fold, from ₹225 crore annually during 2009–14 to ₹5,421 crore in 2025–26. Since 2014, 382 km of new tracks have been constructed, 1,634 km electrified, 409 rail flyovers and under-bridges built, and 30 Amrit stations developed at a cost of ₹1,122 crore.
Current projects include nine new track initiatives covering 714 km valued at ₹21,926 crore, and 88 flyovers and underpasses worth ₹1,238 crore. The Firozpur–Patti line will link Punjab’s border districts with major cities and Gujarat ports, creating an economic corridor and reducing logistics costs.
Ahead of the Chhath and Diwali festivals, Indian Railways plans to run a record 12,000 special trains, up from 7,724 last year, with over 10,000 trips already notified.
Highlighting improvements in service quality, Vaishnaw said that railway operations have achieved over 90% punctuality in 29 divisions, with some divisions exceeding 98%. These gains have been made possible through better infrastructure, strategic planning, and smoother operations across the network.