Indian Railways train connectivity to the Statue of Unity! Travellers visiting ‘Statue of Unity’ will soon have hassle-free train journey as there will be a railway station connecting the world’s tallest statue to the vast Indian Railways network. The upcoming Kevadiya Railway station will be the nearest railway station to the ‘Statue of Unity’. Presently, Vadodara (BRC), Bharuch (BH) and Ankleshwar railway (AKV) stations provide railway connectivity to the Statue of Unity. Vadodara Airport (BDQ) and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD) in Ahmedabad are the nearest airports to the Statue of Unity.
n Budget 2017, the central government announced the gauge conversion of the Dabhoi-Chanod railway line. This is being extended up to Kevadiya. In December 2018, the foundation stone for the Kevadiya railway station was laid by President Ram Nath Kovind,
Kevadiya Railway station near Statue of Unity: All you need to know
1. Ankleshwar, Bharuch, Vadodara railway stations are located at 77.95 kms, 75.36 kms, and 71.94 kms distance respectively from the Statue of Unity. Kevadiya station, once it is ready, will be a huge relief for those who have been traveling to the Statue of Unity by Indian Railways trains. The Kevadiya railway station is located at a distance of just 5 kilometres from the ‘Statue of Unity’.
2. In a landmark development, the Kevadiya Railway Station building will have Green Building Certification.
3. The station building will be constructed at a cost of Rs 20 crore.
4. The station building will have a 3-level structure. The first and second levels comprise a general waiting room, VIP room, Executive lounge for VVIPs and foreign tourists, station master room. There will be an art gallery exhibiting local and tribal art and craftworks.
5. The Kevadiya railway station is being designed in such a way that it will minimise the disturbance of the existing eco-system. Recycled materials such as fly-ash bricks, local materials, insulating glasses for air-conditioned rooms are being used in order to reduce the overall carbon emission of the building.
6. Solar panels with a capacity of generating up to 200 KW electricity will be installed on the station roof. The station will have several water management facilities such as rainwater harvesting, sewage treatment plant, eco-waterless urinals and drip irrigation technology that uses treated water.
7. One more feature that makes Kevadiya Railway station really special is that it will be ‘Divyang’ friendly. There will be special features such as ramps to wheelchair access, lifts and escalators for movement to one floor to another. There will be washrooms on both sides of the railway station and they will also be disabled-friendly.
8. Indian Railways is connecting the Kevadiya colony and Chandod, Moriya, Tilakwada, and Garudeshwar. The 18-km section between Chandod and Dabhoi is undergoing gauge conversion. The efforts are on to lay a new railway line between the Chandod-Kevadiya section.
9. The total length of the project is around 50 kms- gauge conversion of Dabhoi-Chandod is 18 kms and extension of the line from Chandod to Kevadiya Colony is 32 kms.
10. There are a total of 16 minor bridges, 4 major bridges, and 12 Low Height Subways (LHSs)/Road Under Bridges/ Road over Bridges in Dabhoi-Chandod section. In the new Chandod-Kevadiya section, there will be 30 minor bridges, 5 major bridges and 18 Low Height Subways/Road Under Bridges and Road Over Bridges. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 663.29 crore. There will be broad gauge rail connectivity with the Mumbai-Delhi main line via Vadodara.
Apart from providing railway connectivity to the Statue of Unity, the new railway station in Kevadiya will promote tourism. There will be growth in local trade and industries and boost to the overall development of the region. New opportunities for employment will also be there.
