Rs 411.96 crore Rajpura Bypass Line approved to ease rail congestion on busy Northen Railway Corridor
Babushahi Bureau
New Delhi, February 9, 2026: In a major boost to rail infrastructure in Punjab, the Ministry of Railways has sanctioned the construction of the Rajpura Bypass Line at a cost of Rs 411.96 crore to decongest one of the most critical and heavily used sections of Northern Railway.
Disclosing the decision, Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh said the project has received formal approval following the endorsement of the Railway Board and the sanction of the Hon’ble Minister of Railways.
The approved project involves the construction of a 13.46-kilometre bypass line connecting the New Shambhu Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) station with Kauli station on the existing Rajpura–Bathinda line. The project forms part of the “Umbrella Work 2025–26” initiative for new railway line works across Indian Railways.
Highlighting the significance of the project, Ravneet Singh said the Rajpura Yard is currently operating at saturated capacity, creating a major bottleneck on the Ambala–Jalandhar section, one of Northern Railway’s busiest corridors. Without capacity augmentation, line utilisation in this section is projected to exceed 165 per cent by 2030–31 due to rising passenger and freight traffic.
The Rajpura Bypass Line will allow trains to completely bypass the congested Rajpura Yard, ensuring smoother and faster movement of both freight and passenger services. Direct connectivity to the Dedicated Freight Corridor at New Shambhu is also expected to significantly enhance freight logistics efficiency and transit speed.
The minister said the project marks a key step toward modernising rail infrastructure, strengthening network capacity, and aligning railway growth with the country’s expanding transportation and economic needs.