The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given approval to the Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor Project from Palwal to Sonipat via Sohna-Manesar-Kharkhauda.
The rail line will begin from Palwal and end at the existing Harsana Kalan station (on Delhi-Ambala section). This will also give connectivity en route to the existing Patli station (on Delhi-Rewari line), Sultanpur station (on Garhi Harsaru-Farukhnagar line) and Asaudha station (in Delhi Rohtak line).
The project will be implemented by the Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (HRIDC), a joint venture company set up by the Ministry of Railways with the government of Haryana.
The project will have joint participation of the Ministry of Railways, the Haryana government and private stakeholders.
The estimated cost of the project is Rs 5,617 crore. The total length of the project is approximately 121.7 km. The project is likely to be completed in five years.
The districts of Palwal, Nuh, Gurugram, Jhajjar and Sonipat districts of Haryana will be benefitted through this rail line.
The project will facilitate diversion of traffic not meant for Delhi thus decongesting NCR and help in developing multimodal logistics hubs in Haryana sub-region of NCR. It will provide high-speed seamless connectivity of the region to Dedicated Freight Corridor network resulting in reduction of cost and time of transportation for EXIM traffic from NCR to ports of India, making exports of goods more competitive.
The project will connect unserved areas of the state, thereby boosting economic and social activities. The multipurpose transport project will also facilitate affordable and faster commuter travel, long distance travel in different directions from Gurugram and the industrial regions of Manesar, Sohna, Farukhnagar, Kharkhauda and Sonipat.
Approximately 20,000 passengers each day will be travelling through this line and 50 million tonne goods traffic will be carried every year.
The alignment of Orbital Rail Corridor Project is adjacent to the western peripheral (Kundli-Manesar-Palwal) Expressway. The project will have connectivity with all the existing railway routes originating from Delhi and passing through Haryana as well as with the Dedicated Freight Corridor network.
