Prabhu lays foundation stone of Rajpura-Bathinda project

Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu on Sunday laid foundation stone of a railway doubling project, 16 limited height subways and dedicated the newly doubled Mansa-Bathinda rail line to the nation.

Besides, the Railway Minister also dedicated to the nation the new station building at Beas, new running room at Ludhiana, Food Plaza at Firozpur Station and inaugurated 5 Water Vending Machines at a ceremony here.

Prabhu laid the foundation stone for Rajpura-Bathinda doubling project.

He laid the foundation stone for 16 Limited Height subways on Ludhiana-Ambala, Jalandhar-Pathankot, Jalandhar- Firozpur, Beas-Goindwal, Bathinda Bypass Line and Dhuri- Bathinda line.

Rajpura to Bathinda is part of Rajpura Bathinda - Sriganganagar section of Ambala Division. The Rajpura-Dhuri-Bathinda is a single line BG non electrified section.

Completion of the Doubling work of this 172 km long section being built at an estimated cost of Rs 1251.25 crore shall facilitate uninterrupted and smooth traffic operation as double line from Rajpura to Bathinda, an official release said here.

A number of important cities and industrial towns including Patiala and Bathinda, Fertilizer and thermal power plant, food grains loading points, educational hubs and military cantonments are located on the project section.

There has been 6.42 per cent per annum growth in the existing passenger traffic and the line capacity utilisation has reached 130 per cent, the release said.

Mansa-Bathinda doubling is sanctioned on Delhi-Bathinda route of 297 km length. 

Coal supply to thermal plants of Punjab and Rajasthan and the new thermal plant Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL) near Saddasinghwala is mostly done via this route only, the release said.