Maharashtra's Ajanta Caves to get rail connectivity with longest transport tunnel of 23.5 km

Mumbai: The famous UNESCO World Heritage Site - Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra - would soon be more accessible as the historic tourist spot will be getting rail connectivity which would also stimulate industrial development in the region.

The project will feature India’s longest transport tunnel, stretching 23.5 km.

The Ajanta Caves are located in the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar district - earlier known as Aurangabad - in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra.

Ministry of Railways and the Maharashtra government are jointly working on a project to ensure railway connectivity to and from the Ajanta Caves.

The proposed rail line, extending 174 km from Jalna to Jalgaon, will be developed at a cost of Rs 7,106 crore, with equal contributions from the state government and railways.

This project is expected to generate 60 lakh man-days of employment and reduce CO2 emissions by 54 crore kg, equivalent to planting 2.2 crore trees.

According to Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, this ambitious initiative aims to enhance connectivity between Marathwada and North Maharashtra while stimulating regional industrial growth.

During a press briefing held in New Delhi using virtual connections in Mumbai and Maharashtra, Vaishnaw highlighted the project's transformative impact.

“The new line will cut the travel distance between Jalna and Jalgaon by nearly 50 per cent, from 336 km to 174 km. This development will significantly improve connectivity between Marathwada, North Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and the coastal areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat,” he said.

“The project will feature India’s longest transport tunnel, stretching 23.5 kilometers. The project will need the acquisition of 935 hectares of land. The rail line is expected to be completed within 4 to 5 years,” he said, adding that the project will enhance port connectivity, facilitate the transportation of agricultural products like soybeans and cotton, and support industries such as fertilizer and cement.

The Ajanta Caves Rail Connectivity project is poised to unlock the potential of the Marathwada region and North Maharashtra, offering new opportunities for businesses and significantly enhancing the quality of life for the region's residents.

The Ajanta Caves are situated 100 km north-east of Ellora, 104 km from Aurangabad and 52 km from Jalgaon railway station.

The Ajanta Caves are a remarkable collection of 29 rock-cut cave monuments dating from the second century BCE to about 480 CE in Aurangabad district.

These ancient Buddhist cave temples and monasteries are renowned for their exquisite murals, which are considered to be among the finest surviving examples of Indian art.

They are cut into the volcanic lava of the Deccan in the forest ravines of the Sahyadri Hills and are set in beautiful sylvan surroundings.

These magnificent caves contain carvings that depict the life of Lord Buddha, and their carvings and sculptures are considered to be the beginning of classical Indian art.