Ahmedabad, September 28 (APAC Media): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday inaugurated and launched railway development projects worth Rs 1,472 crore in Ahmedabad, including the country’s first LNG-powered train.
The programme was held at Sabarmati Railway Station in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other dignitaries.
Shah also inaugurated a WAG-12 locomotive maintenance shed built at a cost of Rs 700 crore. The facility will support maintenance of high-capacity freight locomotives.
Several railway safety and infrastructure projects were also launched. These include the installation of the Kavach train protection system on the Sabarmati-Kalol-Sabarmati section and the start of Kavach-related work on the Ahmedabad-Palanpur and Ahmedabad-Samakhiali sections.
The Sabarmati-Kalol-Sabarmati project has been taken up at a cost of Rs 48 crore. Work has also begun on doubling the Sabarmati-Sarkhej railway line.
LNG Train, WAG-12 Locomotive Highlight Railway Push
Shah said the LNG-powered train would contribute to environmental sustainability. He also highlighted the capacity of WAG-12 locomotives, saying their 12,000-horsepower twin-section configuration can haul freight equivalent to nearly 600 trucks.
He also referred to the trial of a long-haul double-stack container train between Jawaharlal Nehru Port near Mumbai and Vadodara, saying such freight trains could help increase rail cargo capacity.
Railway Electrification, Safety Measures Expanded
Shah said railway diesel consumption had declined from 293 crore litres in 2015-16 to 108 crore litres in 2024-25, while electrification had expanded from around 30 per cent before 2014 to 99.6 per cent.
He also highlighted increased spending on railway safety and the expansion of domestic manufacturing of railway equipment under the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
The Home Minister said Gujarat’s railway allocation had increased from Rs 589 crore during 2009-14 to Rs 17,366 crore for 2026-27, pointing to the expansion of railway infrastructure and connectivity in the state.
Shah also spoke about the modernisation of Indian Railways, including Dedicated Freight Corridors, Rapid Rail systems and upgraded railway stations, and highlighted the development of hydrogen-powered train technology.
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