Gurgaon: Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor, a key infrastructure project meant to improve connectivity across the state and reduce pressure on Delhi’s railway network, has been delayed by three years and is now slated for completion in Dec 2029.The delay has been attributed to changes in alignment and design of the Aravali tunnel near Sohna, the addition of technologies such as KAVACH and automatic signalling, the construction of a 5-km viaduct near Roz Ka Meo where the corridor intersects the dedicated freight corridor, and land acquisition hurdles.The revised timeline comes with a sharp rise in project cost. It has escalated from Rs 5,617 crore to nearly Rs 11,440 crore, the revised cost approved by the govt last year. The project required acquisition of 741 hectares of land, including 545 hectares of private land. Officials said compensation has been given to all landowners, but the process took longer than was expected.According to Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation, the 126-km double-line electrified broad-gauge corridor connecting Palwal to Sonipat via Sohna, Manesar and Kharkhoda is being executed in two phases. Civil work on the 30-km Phase I section between Dhulawat, Manesar and Jhajjar is underway. The tendering process for the remaining 96-km Phase II stretch is also in progress.Managing director of the corporation Sukhvinder Singh said significant design and technical modifications were required in the Aravali tunnel to ensure long-term operational safety. The complex terrain and the need for multiple statutory clearances have contributed to the delay.“About 30% of the work on Phase I, which includes earthwork, culverts and bridge pillars, has been completed. Slight changes have been made to the design and technical alignment of the tunnel being constructed in Sohna,” he said.Running largely parallel to the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway, the corridor is expected to provide direct rail connectivity between Gurgaon, Sohna, Manesar, Jhajjar, Kharkhoda, Sonipat, Faridabad and Palwal. It will eliminate the current dependence on Delhi for rail movement between many of these destinations, reducing travel time and easing pressure on railway stations in the national capital.Designed for speeds of up to 160 kmph for passenger trains and 100 kmph for freight services, the corridor will be capable of operating high-speed trains like Vande Bharat. The project is expected to handle nearly 20,000 passengers and 50 million tonnes of freight annually while boosting connectivity to key industrial hubs in Sohna, Manesar, Nuh, Kharkhoda and Sonipat.Officials said the corridor will help divert rail traffic not destined for Delhi, support the development of multimodal logistics hubs, facilitate faster freight movement and improve regional connectivity across the NCR.
