Vadodara: Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi will inaugurate, dedicate or lay the foundation stones for a series of railway and allied infrastructure projects involving investment of Rs 30,766 crore during his visit to Vadodara on Sept 8, including a new MEMU service between Pratapnagar and Tanda Road in Madhya Pradesh.Vadodara MP Hemang Joshi said the union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has conveyed the approval of the service in a letter to him.The biggest component of the package is the Rs 20,703-crore Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project, covering the Sanand (North)-Makarpura, New Umargam-New Sanand and New Sanand-New JNPT sections, which will be dedicated to the nation.The programme also includes the Rs 8,885-crore Vadodara-Ratlam third and fourth railway lines, for which the foundation stone will be laid.The Rs 334-crore Jabalpur-Tanda Road rail section will also be inaugurated. Among other projects listed for the programme are the Rs 394-crore gauge conversion of the Vishwamitri-Dabhoi section and a Rs 450-crore Miyagam-Karjan-Chhota Udepur-Godhra road project.The project list also includes the launch of a new train service between Vadodara and Tanda Road. The programme document states that the new service and Dedicated Freight Corridor freight train operations will be launched by showing the green flag.Joshi also said Vadodara would also benefit from the extension of the Udaipur City-Asarva Vande Bharat Express to Surat via Vadodara.Joshi said he had made representations to the railway minister regarding improved rail connectivity for Vadodara.
