VINOD BHAT
Chandigarh, Nov 12:
The Ministry of Railways has sanctioned the Ferozepur–Patti Rail Link Project, covering a total length of 25.72 km at an estimated cost of ₹764.19 crore, including ₹166 crore towards land acquisition to be borne by the Railways. Announcing this at a media briefing today, S. Ravneet Singh Bittu Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, said that the project holds strategic and economic importance, significantly reducing the distance between Ferozepur and Amritsar from 196 km to about 100 km, and shortening the Jammu–Ferozepur–Fazilka–Mumbai corridor by 236 km. It will serve as a crucial link between the Malwa and Majha regions of Punjab, enhancing regional mobility and logistics efficiency.
Thanking Hon’ Prime Minister of India Sh. Narendra Modi ji, Home Minister Sh. Amit Shah ji, Railway Minister Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw ji for this historic gift to Punjab, Bittu said that the new rail line will connect the Jalandhar–Ferozepur and Patti–Khemkaran routes, providing a direct and alternative connection close to the international border. Passing through areas of strategic defence significance, it will facilitate rapid movement of defence personnel, equipment, and supplies.
Ravneet said that Beyond strategic benefits, the project promises significant socio-economic gains, benefiting nearly 10 lakh people and creating approximately 2.5 lakh employment opportunities. It will serve 2,500–3,500 daily passengers, particularly students, employees, and patients from nearby villages. The rail link will spur trade and industrial growth, reduce freight transportation costs, and improve access to agricultural markets, thereby boosting investment in education, healthcare, and essential infrastructure. It will also link Amritsar, a major commercial, educational, and religious hub attracting over one lakh tourists daily, with Ferozepur, ensuring faster connectivity and stronger regional integration. Importantly, the new alignment will revive a historic route lost during Partition, reducing the Ferozepur–Khemkaran distance from 294 km to 110 km.
DRM AMBALA Shri Vinod Bhatia, CPM / Construction Shri Ajai Varshney, CPM / RLDA Shri Balbir Singh, ADRM Firozpur Shri Nitin Garg and Shri Dhananjay Singh, EDPG, MOSR were also present there.
