PM Shri Narendra Modi inaugurates and dedicates railway projects worth more than Rs. 35,000 crore in Gujarat

 Guwahati, 08^th September, 2026:         

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 08^th September, 2026, laid the foundation stones, inaugurated and dedicated to the Nation major railway infrastructure projects worth more than Rs. 35,000 crore at Vadodara, Gujarat, besides flagging off one new passenger train service and four freight train services. The initiatives mark a significant step towards strengthening rail connectivity, enhancing logistics efficiency and supporting regional economic development. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stones for the Vadodara–Ratlam 3^rd and 4^th Rail Line, Miyagam Karjan-Choranda-Malsar Gauge Conversion and Vishwamitri-Dabhoi Doubling projects. These projects will further augment railway capacity, improve operational efficiency and strengthen connectivity across the region.

The Jobat - Tanda Road New Rail Line was inaugurated, providing enhanced rail connectivity and improving accessibility for passengers and communities in the region. The new rail link will facilitate smoother mobility and contribute to greater integration of local areas with the wider railway network. A major milestone of the programme was the dedication of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) to the Nation. Describing the DFC as the “lifeline of a rapidly developing India,” the Prime Minister highlighted its important role in enabling faster, more efficient and reliable freight transportation. The 2,800-km DFC is strengthening the national logistics network by providing high-capacity rail infrastructure for the movement of goods between production centres, industrial hubs, ports and markets. It is enabling more than 430 freight trains to operate daily, significantly reducing transit time for goods movement and enhancing fuel efficiency, logistics performance and the overall competitiveness of rail-based freight transportation.

 

The Prime Minister also flagged off the new Tanda Road - Vadodara (Pratapnagar) passenger train service, providing enhanced passenger connectivity and more convenient travel opportunities. The new service will also facilitate improved rail access for communities in previously underserved areas. In addition, four freight train services on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor were flagged off from New Sanand, New Makarpura, New Umbergaon and New Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal, Mumbai, further strengthening freight connectivity between major industrial, logistics and port centres. The DFC is also facilitating faster movement of agricultural and other time-sensitive commodities to larger markets, while high-capacity operations, including double-stack container trains, are enhancing the efficiency and carrying capacity of rail transportation. A double-stack container freight train from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority to Vadodara carried cargo equivalent to more than 250 trucks, highlighting the significant capacity and efficiency benefits of rail-based freight movement.

The Prime Minister also highlighted India’s growing capabilities in railway manufacturing, noting that since 2014, the country has manufactured around 50,000 modern coaches and introduced nearly 2.5 lakh wagons into the railway network. The expanding indigenous manufacturing ecosystem for railway coaches, metro coaches and locomotives is strengthening self-reliance while creating new opportunities for employment, industry and innovation.

These developments further strengthen Northeast Frontier Railway’s sustained focus on improving connectivity, enhancing passenger and freight services, boosting operational efficiency and supporting the socio-economic development of the Northeast region. The projects and train services launched today reaffirm the Government’s focus on modernising Indian Railways, expanding connectivity, strengthening freight logistics and enhancing passenger services, thereby contributing to improved mobility, greater operational efficiency, stronger supply chains and accelerated economic growth towards the vision of a modern, future-ready railway network and a Viksit Bharat by 2047.