Statue of Unity: Soon, visitors can take Indian Railways train journey to world’s tallest statue; Check date, key details

Statue of Unity is all set to get Indian Railways connectivity! After road and seaplane connectivity, the world’s tallest statue in Gujarat’s Kevadiya, will get direct rail connectivity by the end of 2020, Railway Board chairman V K Yadav has said. Once the operations begin, visitors can take a train journey to Kevadia. The Railway station is just 5 km from the 182-metre tall engineering marvel.

Indian Railways to start train service to Statue of Unity

1. At present rail stations at Ankleshwar, Vadodara, and Bharuch serve as the nearest rail station to the Statue of Unity. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD) in Ahmedabad and Vadodara Airport (BDQ) provides air connectivity to the iconic statue. A seaplane service has been started from Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad to Kevadia in the Narmada district.

2. Railway Board Chairman and CEO, V K Yadav has said that land has been acquired for the ‘Kevadia Rail Link project’ to provide direct rail connectivity to the Statue of Unity. The project envisaged gauge conversion between the Dabhoi-Chandod 18 kilometer route and a new line of 32 km between Chandod and Kevadia, as per a PTI report.

3. The track work between Dhaboi and Chandod has been completed. The line between Chandod and Kevadia is expected to be completed by November 15, 2020. The project is scheduled to be commissioned by December 2020, Yadav said.

4. He said all three major and 16 minor bridges between Dabhoi-Chandod have been built. Out of four major and 47 minor bridges between Chandod and Kevadia, work on one major bridge and 22 minor bridges has also been completed.

5. Once the project is completed, one can reach the Statue of Unity from Vadodara in 45 minutes. The speed of the trains in this section will be 110 kmph in phase one and upgraded to 130 kmph later, officials said.

6. In the Union Budget 2017, the Central government had announced the gauge conversion of the Indian Railways’ Dabhoi-Chanod rail line. This rail line is now being extended up to Kevadia.

7. A railway station is being built at a cost of around Rs 20 crore. The rail station is located just 5 km from the statue. In December 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation stone for the railway station.