• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the construction of the 116.65-km Taranga Hill-Ambaji-Abu Road rail line at an estimated cost of Rs 2,798.16 crore.

• To be built by the ministry of railways, the project will link two states and three religious places and will be completed by 2026-27. 

• The proposed rail line will traverse through the Sirohi district of Rajasthan and Sabarkantha, Banaskantha and Mahesana districts of Gujarat. 

• Ambaji in Gujarat is one of the 51 ‘Shakti Peeths’ which attract millions of devotees from Gujarat as well as other parts of the country and abroad every year.

• Further, the devotees visiting the Ajitnath Jain temple (one of the 24 holy Jain Tirthankaras) at Taranga Hill would also be greatly benefitted by this connectivity. 

• Mount Abu in Rajasthan is the headquarters of the Brahma Kumari community and is frequented by its followers from around the world.

• The construction of this railway line will facilitate easy travel for millions of devotees. 

• It will generate direct employment for about 40 lakh man-days.

• Besides enhancing connectivity and mobility, the project will lead to the overall socio-economic development of the region.

• This line will facilitate faster movement of agricultural and local products and improve mobility of the people between Gujarat and Rajasthan as well as to other parts of the country.

• The project will also provide an alternative route to the existing Ahmedabad-Abu Road railway line.

• The new line shall also benefit the dairy industry of Mahesana and the marble industry of Gujarat.

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