Chandigarh, 25 October 2025: The Northern Railway has written to the Punjab Government asking it to appoint a Competent Authority for Land Acquisition (CALA) and an arbitrator for the Rajpura–Mohali rail line project, which has been notified as a “Special Railway Project” by the Centre.
According to a Gazette Notification issued on October 24 under the Railway (Amendment) Act, 2008, the Central Government has designated the 18.11-km Rajpura–Mohali New Line as a national infrastructure project. Around 53.84 hectares of land across the districts of Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (SAS Nagar) will be acquired for its construction.
In its letter to the state government—Northern Railway noted that the timely completion of the project is essential for improving regional connectivity and economic growth.
“The successful and timely completion of this crucial railway infrastructure project is vital for regional connectivity and economic development,” the railway communication stated.
The letter further mentioned that the Railway department lacks a sufficient number of experienced officers to handle land acquisition matters. “It is therefore requested to appoint a Competent Authority for Land Acquisition (CALA) and an arbitrator for the acquisition of land under the provisions of the Railway (Amendment) Act, 2008,” it added.
The proposed railway line, spanning the three Punjab districts, is expected to significantly shorten travel time between Rajpura and Mohali and improve connectivity for the Malwa region to Chandigarh once completed.
