Western Railway Issues ₹18,901.68 Crore EPC Tender for Sarkhej-Dholera Semi High-Speed Rail Line

Western Railway has invited bids for building the Sarkhej-Dholera Semi High-Speed Double Rail Line, marking a significant step in developing India's first semi high-speed railway corridor. The EPC contract is valued at approximately ₹18,901.68 crore under tender number CPMSHSRADIWRSEJDSIREPC01, with an earnest money deposit of ₹378.03 crore, a 42-month completion period, and a 180-day bid-validity requirement.

The project will connect Ahmedabad (Sarkhej) with Dholera, while also providing spur lines to the Lothal National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) and the upcoming Dholera Airport. The corridor spans about 134 km as a double-track semi-high-speed line.

The EPC package combines civil construction with the railway systems needed to test and commission the corridor. Its scope includes formation and viaducts, bridges, station buildings, ballasted and BLT track systems, overhead traction, general electrical services, signalling, telecommunications and an operating control centre. The selected contractor will also integrate all systems and complete testing, commissioning and associated works within Western Railway's jurisdiction, making this a substantially broader package than a track-only construction contract.

This tender follows the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs' approval of the wider Ahmedabad (Sarkhej)–Dholera project in May 2026, at an estimated overall cost of around ₹20,667 crore, with completion targeted for 2030-31. It is worth noting that the tender value and the overall approved project estimate describe different scopes and should not be treated as interchangeable figures.

The Ahmedabad (Sarkhej)–Dholera Semi High-Speed Double Line is a flagship project of the Ministry of Railways and is planned as Indian Railways' first semi high-speed rail project using indigenously developed technology, developed under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan. The government has said the corridor will improve connectivity for approximately 284 villages with a combined population of about 500,000, while also enabling faster and more convenient travel between Ahmedabad and Dholera, including scope for same-day return journeys.

For Dholera, the project is expected to be a significant boost to connectivity. It will strengthen access to the Dholera Special Investment Region, the under-construction Dholera Airport, and the Lothal National Maritime Heritage Complex, complementing other major infrastructure initiatives already underway in the region, including the Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway and the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem taking shape around Tata Electronics' fab. The project is also positioned by the government as a reference model for the phased expansion of similar semi high-speed rail corridors across India.