Cabinet approves doubling of Udhna-Jalgaon

New Delhi: In order to handle coal transportation for thermal power plants in Gujarat, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today gave its approval for doubling of Udhna-Jalgaon rail section (306.93 km) with electrification. The project will be taken up at a total cost of Rs 714.60 crore, Mr P. Chidambaram, Union Finance Minister, said here on Thursday. The doubling of this section will provide additional capacity on the track for catering the projected traffic to meet with the requirement of thermal power plants particularly in Wanakbhori, Gandhinagar and Ukai-Sonagadh. The projected traffic by 2010-11 is 35 trains each way as against 23 to 26 being handled at present. It would reduce the lead involved in movement of coal from Korba area to Gujarat Power Plant by about 200 km as compared to movement via Itarsi-Bhopal-Ratlam route. The work is likely to be completed within five years.