India's first 220-kmph semi-high-speed rail corridor between Ahmedabad and Dholera gets cabinet nod

New Delhi: India is set to get its first semi-high-speed railway corridor with trains capable of running up to 220 kmph, as the Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a new double-line project in Gujarat on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Railways’ Semi High-Speed Double Line project will connect Sarkhej in Ahmedabad to Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) at an estimated cost of Rs 20,667 crore.

Once the 134 km long railway line is completed, the journey time between Sarkhej and Dholera will be cut to just around 34 minutes, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting.

The project will be Indian Railways’ first semi-high-speed corridor developed entirely with indigenously developed technology. It is expected to serve as a benchmark for the phased rollout of similar high-speed rail networks across the country, Vaishnaw said.

The broad-gauge corridor has been designed for a maximum speed of 220 kmph and an operational speed of 200 kmph. The new section will provide faster and seamless connectivity between Ahmedabad, Dholera SIR, the upcoming Dholera Airport, and the Lothal National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC).

Dholera SIR is being developed as a greenfield industrial smart city and is envisioned as a global hub for manufacturing, innovation, and urban living.

The Ahmedabad-Dholera corridor forms part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and is expected to give a major boost to economic development in the region. The project, which aims to integrate Dholera SIR with the broader railway network at Sarkhej, is targeted for completion in four years.

This project takes forward India’s semi-high-speed rail ambitions, which have been primarily driven by the Vande Bharat Express services. Over 100 Vande Bharat trains are currently operational as of early 2026, running at speeds of 160–180 km/h. Although the Vande Bharat has a design speed of 180 kmph, actual speeds on many routes are lower due to existing track constraints. The dedicated Ahmedabad-Dholera corridor is designed to overcome these limitations, said an official in the railways.