Ajanta Caves to get rail link via India’s longest tunnel

India’s Ajanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will have improved access with a new 174-km rail route, increasing regional development and connectivity.

The recognised UNESCO World Heritage Site – Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, is set to become more accessible as the ancient tourist destination receives train connectivity, which will boost industrial growth in the area. The project will include India’s longest transport tunnel, measuring 23.5 kilometres. The Ajanta Caves are in Maharashtra’s Marathwada area, specifically in the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar district, formerly known as Aurangabad.

The Ministry of Railways and the Maharashtra government are collaborating on a project to improve train connectivity to and from the Ajanta Caves. The projected 174-kilometer train route from Jalna to Jalgaon will be constructed at a cost of Rs 7,106 crore, with equal contributions from the state government and railroads. This project is expected to provide 60 lakh man-days of employment while reducing CO2 emissions by 54 crore kg, which is equivalent to planting 2.2 crore trees.

According to Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics and Information Technology, the significant program intends to improve connectivity between Marathwada and North Maharashtra while improving regional industrial growth. During a news conference held in New Delhi via virtual connections in Mumbai and Maharashtra, Vaishnaw emphasised the project’s revolutionary significance.

“The new line will decrease the travel distance between Jalna and Jalgaon by almost 50 percent, reducing it 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 says. “The project will involve India’s longest transportation tunnel, measuring 23.5 kilometres. The project requires the acquisition of 935 hectares of land. The rail line anticipates to be completed in 4 to 5 years’, he says, adding that it will improve port connectivity, enable the shipping of agricultural products such as soybeans and cotton, and benefit businesses such as fertiliser and cement.

The Ajanta Caves Rail Connectivity project is poised to utilise the potential of the Marathwada region and North Maharashtra, creating new commercial opportunities and considerably improving the quality of life for the region’s population. The Ajanta Caves are situated 100 kilometres north-east of Ellora, 104 kilometres from Aurangabad, and 52 kilometres from the Jalgaon Railway Station.

The Ajanta Caves are a magnificent collection of 29 rock-cut cave monuments in the Aurangabad district that date from the second century BCE to around 480 CE. These ancient Buddhist cave temples and monasteries are famous for their magnificent murals, which are considered as among the best surviving examples of Indian art. They are carved into the volcanic lava of the Deccan during the forest ravines of the Sahyadri Hills and located in lovely sylvan settings. These exquisite caverns have carvings depicting Lord Buddha’s life, and their carvings and sculptures are thought to be the origins of classical Indian art.

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