The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of the Taranga Hill-Ambaji-Abu Road (in Gujarat) new rail line by the Ministry of Railways, to increase connectivity and mobility, leading to the overall socio-economic growth of the region.
- The total length of the new rail line will be 116.65 kilometres (km), with an estimated cost of Rs. 2798.16 crore. It is expected to be completed by 2026-27.
Glory of Ambaji & Taranga Hill in Gujarat
i. Ambaji in Gujarat is a famous and important pilgrimage destination, which is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths in India. It draws millions of devotees each year from India and abroad.
ii.The construction of this new railway line will facilitate the devotees ofAmbajiand those visiting the Ajitnath Jain temple (one of the 24 holy Jain Tirthankaras) on Taranga Hill with an easy journey.
- These two significant holy sites will be connected to the main railway network by the new railway line between Taranga Hill, Ambaji, and Abu Road.
Benefits of the Taranga Hill–Ambaji– Abu Road Railway Line
i. The alignment of the proposed doubling will run through Rajasthan’s Sirohidistrict as well as Gujarat’s Banaskantha and Mahesana
ii.The development of a new rail line will boost the flow of agricultural and local products and the mobility of people in the region within Gujarat and Rajasthan, as well as to other parts of India.
iii. This project will also provide an alternate route for the existing Ahmedabad-Abu Road railway line. It will draw investment and contribute to the region’s overall socio-economic development.
CCEA Approves Upgradation of NRTI to Gati Shakti University in Gujarat
The CCEA, presided over by PM Narendra Modi, has given its approval for the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI) in Vadodara, (Gujarat) to be upgraded to Gati Shakti University/Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya.
- NRTI will now be upgraded from a deemed-to-be-university to a Central University, serving as a hub for education, training, skilling & research in the transportation sector.
After the Central University of Gujarat, the Gati Shakti University would be the second central university in the state.
The Prominence of Gati Shakti University
i. The Union Cabinet approved a proposal from the Railway Ministry to establish the first-ever NRTU in Vadodara, Gujarat, in December 2017.
ii.The University is named after the Government of India’s flagship multimodal connectivity project, the Rs. 100 trillion PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
- It aims to develop a comprehensive infrastructure in India and received its first-ever budgetary allocation of Rs. 20,000 crore in Fiscal Year 2022-23 (FY23).
iii. The Gati Shakti Master Plan is essentially a digital platform that integrates 16 Ministries, including roadways and railways, in order to plan and implement infrastructure connectivity projects in a coordinated manner.
- It ensures seamless connectivity for the transfer of people, goods, and services between different modes of transportation.
- It will include infrastructure schemes from various ministries and state governments, including UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik), Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry and land ports, etc.
Objectives of Gati Shakti University
i. To assist in achieving the vision and goals of Aatmanirbhar Bharat while providing the best possible education and training to the people of Gujarat and India.
ii.It is also intended to enable the expansion of India’s transportation sector, stimulate local manufacturing, and replace expensive technology imports.
iii. The University is also expected to provide the transportation industry with the necessary technology and manpower, as well as conduct vital research and development to build novel innovations in this field.
iv.As a deemed University, NRTU is required to abide by the regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC). The institute is not permitted to affiliate with any other institution.
About Ministry of Railways:
Union Minister – Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha – Odisha)
Minister of State (MoS) – Danve Raosaheb Dadarao (Jalna Constituency, Maharashtra); Darshana Vikram Jardosh (Surat Constituency, Gujarat)
