Rail board puts Delhi–Nuh–Alwar line on hold, RTI reply reveals

Project sanctioned in 2013-14 at ₹1,239 crore awaits fresh Railway Board approval. Proposed 104 km line with 14 stations

Published on: Feb 9, 2026, 05:04:10 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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A railway project on the Delhi–Sohna–Nuh–Firozpur Jhirka–Alwar route, sanctioned over a decade ago in the 2013-14 fiscal at a cost of ₹1,239 crore, has been put on the back burner by the Railways board, a Right To Information (RTI) reply revealed.

RTI by activist Rajuddin reveals project stalled despite land needs across Haryana, Rajasthan. Nuh still lacks rail access (HT )

As per documents accessed through the RTI response, a copy of which was seen by HT, the project, listed under New Line Projects category PH-11, has been marked as “project kept in abeyance.” The reply was issued by Northern Railway, Delhi, on January 28, 2026, against an RTI application filed on November 13, 2025, by Mewat-based social activist Rajuddin.

The project records show a proposed construction length of 104.11km, with a broader route length of 121.41km from Asaoti to Alwar and 171km from Delhi to Alwar. The plan included 14 stations — comprising two junctions, three halts, eight crossings and one junction cabin — and required about 631.35 hectares across Haryana (538.67 hectares) and Rajasthan (92.68 hectares). The estimated cost per kilometre was listed as ₹11.87 crore. The projected rate of return in the file was recorded at (-) 5.13% per annum, with diesel traction proposed.

The RTI reply further noted that while preliminary project features were recorded and part estimates for drawings and detailed project report (DPR) preparation were to be processed, the work has not been approved for execution and will proceed only after fresh sanction from the Railway board.

The rail link has been a decades-old demand in Mewat, one of the districts identified among the most backward by NITI Aayog. Despite being surrounded by rail-connected districts, such as Gurugram, Palwal, Rewari, Khairthal, Alwar and Deeg, Nuh district still lacks rail access.

Over the years, multiple leaders across parties, including former and current chief ministers and Union ministers, have publicly referred to the project, and it has featured in rail budget announcements.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More

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