Raipur, Oct 6 (PTI) Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Saturday laid the foundation stone of two key railway projects.

Goyal said that the construction of a new railway line connecting Katghora-Mungeli-Kawardha-Dongargarh would accelerate the growth of the mineral rich region and bring prosperity.

He was speaking at the function held in Kawardha to lay the foundation of the 295 kilometre project, which will be built at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore.

On the occasion, the union minister also flagged off Korba-Raipur-Korba Hasdeo Express through video conferencing.

Later, in a programme in Dhamtari district, Goyal and Singh laid the foundation stone of a railway gauge conversion project connecting Kendri (Raipur) to Dhamtari and Abhanpur to Rajim, cumulatively a 67 km long project.

At present, there is narrow gauge track between Kendri -Dhamtari and Abhanpur-Rajim sections which will be converted to broad gauge at cost of around Rs 544 crore, the railways said in a statement.

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