The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 2 Sept 2024 sanctioned a new railway line project under the Ministry of Railways with an investment of Rs. 18,036 crore. This new railway line, connecting Indore and Manmad, aims to provide direct connectivity, boost mobility, and enhance operational efficiency and reliability for Indian Railways.
The project is part of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which focuses on multi-modal connectivity through integrated planning, ensuring seamless movement of people, goods, and services.
Spanning six districts across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, the new railway line will extend the Indian Railways network by approximately 309 km. The construction will include 30 new stations.
This project will also promote tourism by providing a shorter route between the western and southwestern parts of India and Central India, thus increasing tourist visits to various religious and tourist sites in the Ujjain-Indore region, including the renowned Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple.
Additionally, the new line will directly connect the Pithampur Auto Cluster, which hosts numerous large and small industries, with the gateway port of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and other state ports. It will also facilitate the transportation of millets from Madhya Pradesh and onions from Maharashtra to northern and southern regions of India.
The railway line will serve as a critical route for transporting various commodities, such as agricultural products, fertilizers, containers, iron ore, steel, cement, and petroleum products. The expansion is expected to add around 26 million tpa. of freight capacity. As an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient transportation mode, railways will contribute to India’s climate goals by reducing logistics costs, cutting oil imports by 180 million ltrs, and lowering carbon dioxide emissions by 1.38 billion kilograms, which is equivalent to planting 55 million trees.
Cover Photo: Open AI
