CHANDIGARH: Indian Railways has approved two major projects for Punjab — the Rajpura–Mohali rail link and a new Vande Bharat Express between Firozpur and New Delhi. The announcements were made by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who was joined by Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu in underlining the Centre’s focus on transforming Punjab’s railway network.
On Tuesday, Vaishnaw said the Rajpura–Mohali railway line will cost Rs 443 crore and cover 18 kilometres, fulfilling a demand that has been pending for nearly five decades. Earlier projections had pegged the line at around 24 kilometres and Rs 203 crore, but the latest sanction now fixes the cost at nearly double, given land acquisition and revised construction estimates. The line will pass through Banur and provide a direct connection between Rajpura and Mohali, significantly easing travel for the Malwa region to Chandigarh.
Alongside, Vaishnaw announced a new Vande Bharat Express for Punjab, which will connect Firozpur Cantt with New Delhi. The train will halt at key stations including Bathinda, Dhuri, Patiala, Ambala and Rajpura, ensuring large parts of Malwa and border districts are better connected to the national capital. The train will operate six days a week, except Wednesdays, and is expected to bring down travel time while offering modern facilities.
Vaishnaw said railway investment in Punjab has risen manifold — from Rs 225 crore during 2009–14 to Rs 5,421 crore in the current period. He credited MoS Ravneet Bittu for the push, saying the junior minister “deserves full credit” for pursuing the projects for Punjab’s development. Bittu, who shifted from Congress to BJP earlier this year, is a three-time MP and grandson of former Chief Minister Beant Singh, who was assassinated in 1995.
The Rajpura–Mohali project will require about 54 hectares of land to be acquired by the Punjab government and handed over to the Railway Ministry. Officials said initial work would begin with a stretch from Rajpura to eliminate the time-consuming engine reversals on the Chandigarh route. Once completed, the link is expected to decongest existing lines, benefit freight traffic, and strengthen industrial as well as passenger movement across the region.
The approvals, however, are currently in principle and await final Cabinet clearance. Once land acquisition and clearances are complete, construction will begin. The redeveloped Chandigarh railway station, targeted for completion by 2026–27, is expected to complement these upcoming projects by offering world-class passenger amenities.
Meanwhile, Vaishnaw also used the occasion to hit out at Opposition parties on the issue of Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, he said industries and MSMEs were under “tax terror” during the UPA regime, whereas GST unified several taxes and brought relief to the common man. “The UPA taxed cement at 30 per cent. How would a commoner fulfil their dream of building a house? Now it is at 18 per cent. Sanitary pads that were taxed at 13 per cent then are now at zero tax. Footwear is at 5 per cent now, compared to 18 per cent under the UPA,” he said.
He added that reforms have been implemented step by step, and people themselves are acknowledging the benefits. “A while ago, I was in a market in RK Puram, and people buying goods there also said that they were happy,” Vaishnaw remarked. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for carrying forward tax reforms that, according to him, the Opposition “only spoke about but never implemented.”
With the announcements of the Rajpura–Mohali rail link and the Firozpur–Delhi Vande Bharat, Indian Railways has addressed some of Punjab’s longest-standing demands, particularly from the Malwa belt that has often felt left out of direct connectivity. For residents, traders, and students of the region, the projects mark not just improved travel, but also a long-awaited recognition of their infrastructural needs.
