Udaipur-Jodhpur Travel Time May Soon Drop From 7 To 4 Hours With New Railway Line

Travelling between Udaipur and Jodhpur in Rajasthan can soon become much easier and faster. A new broad-gauge railway line connecting the Mewar and Marwar regions is expected to reduce the travel distance by around 250 km and cut the journey time from seven hours to just four hours.

The Mavli Junction-Marwar Junction railway project is being developed in two phases. The first phase, between Nathdwara and Devgarh Madariya, covers about 82-85 km and has already completed more than 95% of the work. The project has an estimated cost of Rs 969 crore. The team also conducted a successful speed trial on this section at 121 km per hour.

The route will have stations at Kankroli, Bejnal, Soniyana Mewar, Kunwariya, Lawa Sardargarh, Amet, Kunwathal and Devgarh Madariya. 

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The second phase will connect Devgarh Madariya to Marwar Junction over a stretch of around 72-75 km. The Railway Ministry has approved the final location survey for this section. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had also released Rs 12 crore for the survey.

Apart from reducing travel time, the new railway line is expected to make several popular tourist destinations in Rajasthan easier to reach.

The train route will pass through the valleys and mountain passes of the Aravalli range. People will get better rail connectivity to places such as the Kumbhalgarh Fort, Todgarh-Raoli Wildlife Sanctuary and Devgarh.

This could make it easier for tourists to explore the historic forts, wildlife areas and scenic landscapes of the Mewar and Marwar regions.

The railway route was first built during the British rule in 1936. It operated as a metre-gauge line for several years, with the Mavli-Marwar passenger train running on the route. The railway line is now being upgraded to broad gauge to improve connectivity and allow faster train services.

The Mewar Rail Vikas Parishad has also been demanding an extension of the railway network from Devgarh Madariya towards Marwar Junction.

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The proposed route will pass through Lasani, Tal, Bhim, Jawaja, Bali, Taragarh, Kobra and Kalabar before reaching Haripur station.

Parishad president Prakash Mandot recently met Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to seek approval for the proposed 102-km railway line. The Railway Board completed its survey in 2023, and the North Western Railway has also submitted its report. The project is yet to receive final approval.

The proposed railway expansion is expected to benefit tourism, local businesses and freight movement. It could also improve connectivity for travellers from Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh visiting Rajasthan.