Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, along with Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, on Tuesday announced two major rail projects for Punjab — the construction of the Rajpura–Mohali line and the launch of a new Vande Bharat Express between Ferozepur Cantt and New Delhi.
The new semi-high-speed Vande Bharat train will run six days a week, barring Wednesdays. It will connect Ferozepur with the national capital via Bathinda, Dhuri, and Patiala, cutting travel time and providing a faster, more comfortable option for passengers from Punjab’s Malwa belt. The introduction of the service is being hailed as a crucial step in bringing high-speed connectivity to a region often overlooked in earlier decades.
Alongside this, the Railway Ministry also cleared the Rajpura–Mohali rail line, an 18-kilometre project estimated to cost Rs 443 crore. The Punjab government will be responsible for acquiring around 53 to 54 hectares of land needed for the project. Once completed, the line will provide a shorter route between Rajpura and Chandigarh, easing travel for thousands of daily passengers and strengthening links to the state capital.
Speaking at the announcement, Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Centre was committed to expanding modern rail infrastructure across Punjab. MoS Ravneet Singh Bittu added that these projects would especially benefit the Malwa region, giving passengers better access to Chandigarh and New Delhi.