Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor (HORC), with target completion by 31 March 2025, is an under construction twin-track 121.7-kilometre (75.6 mi)-km long, 160 km per hour high-speed, railway project in Haryana state of India, which will run around along the Western Peripheral Expressway (WPE) on the western side of Delhi.[1][2][3]
It connects Palwal to Sonipat via Sohna, Manesar and Kharkhoda. At Palwal, Patli (Delhi–Rewari line), Sultanpur (Garhi Harsaru–Farukhnagar line), Asaudha (Delhi–Rohtak line) and Harsana Kalan (Delhi-Ambala line) railway stations. It will connect to existing railway lines running radially from Delhi. It will also connect to the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) at Prithala near Palwal railway station. It will transport 20,000 passengers a day and 50 MTPA cargo.[2][4][5]
Construction
The Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (HRIDC), a joint venture founded by the Ministry of Railways and Government of Haryana - Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), will construct the corridor by 2025. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs of Government of India approved ₹5,617 crore (US$660 million) for the project in September 2020.[2][4][6][7] It will have 23 over-water bridges (25 main bridges over canals and 195 small bridges over culverts), three road flyovers, two road over-bridges, and 153 road under-bridges.[1]
Aravali tunnel
Haryana Orbital Railway Aravali Tunnel (HORA Tunnel), Rs1088 cr, 4.69 km long, 25 m high, double-lane railway tunnel (allowing for passage of two trains simultaneously), parallel to the Western Peripheral Expressway through the Aravali mountain range, is the only tunnel on this route. Tenders were invited in July 2022 and finalised in December 2022. Construction was awarded by HRIDC to RVNL. It is scheduled to be completed by 2026.[8][1]
Additional connectivity
Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor will enhance connectivity with and among the following.
This orbital railway will be a key enabler of Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor Project as it will also connect to the Delhi-Mumbai Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) near Palwal railway station. Delhi–Mumbai Expressway is also part of this corridor which will intersect the orbital railway.
Rail lines among IGI Delhi, Hisar and Noida airports
From Hisar International Airport to IGI Delhi, a semi-high-speed train will be introduced, which may require the upgrade or replacement of existing line, or the laying of additional new line between Hansi to Asaudha (near Bahadurgarh on the Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor).[9] This will also connect to the Delhi–Alwar Regional Rapid Transit System near Gurugram via Haryana Orbital Rail corridor.
This will also enable connectivity between Hisar Airport and Noida International Airport (Jewar Airport), and Jewar Airport to IGI Delhi.