Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The Northern Railway has urged the Punjab Government to move swiftly in appointing officials responsible for land acquisition and arbitration for the proposed Rajpura–Mohali new railway line, a key connectivity project stretching 18.11 kilometres across three districts.
In an official communication to the state authorities, the railway division requested the nomination of a Competent Authority for Land Acquisition (CALA) and an arbitrator under the provisions of the Railways (Amendment) Act, 2008. The move follows the Central Government’s notification declaring the corridor a Special Railway Project, paving the way for the acquisition of nearly 53.84 hectares of land across Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) districts.
The notification was published in the official gazette on October 24, formally sanctioning the land acquisition process for the long-awaited project.
In the letter, Northern Railway officials underlined the urgency of the appointments, stating that the project is “vital for regional mobility and economic growth.” The note further mentioned that the railways currently lack adequate officers with the necessary experience in handling land acquisition procedures, hence the need for state intervention.
The proposed rail link is expected to significantly ease travel between Mohali and Rajpura, reduce travel time, and improve freight connectivity between industrial clusters in southern Punjab and the rest of the state. Once completed, the line will also help decongest existing routes around Chandigarh.
Officials familiar with the project said that once the CALA and arbitrator are appointed, the process of issuing compensation notices to landowners will begin, followed by site surveys and valuation.
“The appointment of a competent authority will allow the project to move from paperwork to on-ground execution,” a senior railway official said, adding that any further delay in nomination could push back the construction schedule.
The Rajpura–Mohali railway project, first conceptualized several years ago, has been held up due to procedural clearances and land-related bottlenecks. Railway sources believe that with the latest notification and cooperation from the state government, groundwork could begin in the coming months.
Officials from the Punjab Government are yet to make a formal announcement on when the appointments will be made.
