PM Flagged off 8 Trains to Statue of Unity

PM Modi, on January 17, virtually flagged off 8 new trains from different destinations to Kevadiya station in the Narmada district of Gujarat. He also inaugurated the new Broad Gauge railway line from Chandod to Kevadiya (32 km), Dabhoi Chandod Gauge converted Broad Gauge rail line (18 km), the new station buildings of Dabhoi Jn., Chandod and Kevadiya, and Newly electrified Pratapnagar Kevadiya section (80 km).

Key Points

• Electrification of the Pratapnagar Kevadiya section has been done as per the 100% Railway Electrification policy of the Ministry of Railways Mission.
• The Dabhoi Chandod Kevadiya section, which is 50 km long, has been commissioned by converting the Dabhoi Chandod Narrow Gauge section (18 km long) to Broad Gauge and extending the new Broad Gauge railway line from Chandod to Kevadiya (32 km).
• The project was sanctioned at an amount of Rs. 811 crore.
• It has seven stations with 4 minor (halt) stations and 3 major (crossing) stations.
• Out of the seven stations, 3 are existing stations- Dabhoi Jn., Chandod and Vadaj and 4 are new stations – Tilakwada, Moriya, Kevadiya, and Garudeshwar.
• There are 9 Road Over Bridges, 8 major bridges, 79 minor bridges, and 31 Road under Bridges.

Major Advantages of the Project

• Uninterrupted rail connectivity to the ‘Statue of Unity’, the world’s tallest statue, from different directions of the country.
• The new Kevadiya Railway station is at a distance of around 6.5 km from ‘Statue of Unity’.
• It will improve connectivity to religious and ancient pilgrim places on the banks of Holy River Narmada like old temples at Poicha, Karnali, and Garudeshwar.

Kevadiya Railway station

Kevadiya Railway Station is the 1st railway station that is registered with the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and also certified as Green Building by it since its construction. Its foundation stone was laid in December 2018 and has been finally inaugurated on January 17, 2021.