Railways issue notice for 4-km stretch in Fatehgarh Sahib; objections invited within 30 days.
The long-pending Mohali-Rajpura rail link has inched closer to execution with the Ministry of Railways issuing another land acquisition notice for the Fatehgarh Sahib district.
The public notice has been issued for acquiring around 4 km of land in Fatehgarh Sahib, where landowners have been given 30 days (till June 2) to file objections with the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).
The development follows earlier notifications in SAS Nagar Mohali district, where a gazette notification issued on February 19 covered about 17.72 hectares over a 5-km stretch. The identified land parcels fall in villages such as Gobindgarh, Saneta and Dhelpur, with the SDM, Mohali, designated as the competent authority for land acquisition.
In Patiala district, which accounts for a major portion of the alignment, the land for an around 8-km stretch is being acquired to lay the railway line. The notification to acquire land in this regard was issued on March 2.
The proposed 18.1-km rail line will link Rajpura with Mohali, providing direct rail connectivity to Chandigarh. At present, trains from the Rajpura side reach Chandigarh via Ambala Cantonment Junction, involving a longer route and operational delays due to engine reversal.
The project, approved by the Centre in 2025 at an estimated cost of Rs 443 crore, is expected to reduce the distance by nearly 66 km and improve connectivity for the Malwa region, including districts such as Patiala, Sangrur and Bathinda.
The project is expected to be completed within 18 to 24 months, subject to timely clearances.