Bathinda: In a move that has revived long-standing hopes across Punjab's Malwa region, Northern Railway has listed the long-pending Rajpura-Mohali rail link in its 2025–26 plan, as detailed in the newly released Pink Book. The proposed 24-kilometre railway stretch is aimed at establishing a direct rail connection between Malwa and the state capital, Chandigarh.
An allocation of ₹203 crore has been earmarked for land acquisition and construction of the new line. Once completed, the project will directly link the Abohar-Bathinda rail corridor to Chandigarh, eliminating the need for passengers to disembark at Rajpura and switch to buses or other means of transport.
The inclusion of the project — listed as Serial No. 458 under the "New Lines" category — marks a significant development in a project originally approved in 2017, but delayed due to bureaucratic and political hurdles.
Residents of Bathinda, Abohar, and other parts of Malwa have long alleged that powerful private transport lobbies have consistently blocked the project to protect their interests. Many have also blamed successive governments for failing to advocate forcefully for the region’s rail connectivity.
Congress MP Dharmavira Gandhi, who previously represented the region from 2014 to 2019, said, “I raised this issue multiple times during my tenure and even after, pushing for its sanction and funding. It is encouraging to finally see it formally included with a committed budget of ₹202.99 crore.”
Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu has also been credited with playing a key role in securing the project’s final clearance.
Earlier hopes were pinned on former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, a native of Tapa in the Malwa region, but despite his influential position, the project failed to take off during his tenure.
Now, with the renewed push and financial backing, residents are optimistic that the long-awaited rail link — vital for both economic and commuter connectivity — will finally move from planning to execution.
