<span style="color: #222222;">In Chhattisgarh, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and the state Chief Minister Raman Singh on Saturday laid the foundation stone of two key railway projects. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">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. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">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.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">On the occasion, the union minister also flagged off Korba-Raipur-Korba Hasdeo Express through video conferencing.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">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.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">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 this in a statement.</span><br />