Cabinet Approves Rs 18,036 Crore Indore-Manmad Railway Line Project to Boost Connectivity and Development

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given the green light to a major railway infrastructure project with the approval of a new railway line between Indore and Manmad. The project, to be undertaken by the Ministry of Railways at an estimated cost of Rs 18,036 crore, aims to enhance direct connectivity, improve mobility, and boost service reliability for Indian Railways.

Spanning 309 kilometers and covering six districts across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, the new railway line will connect approximately 1,000 villages and benefit around 30 lakh people in the region. The project will also see the construction of 30 new stations, improving transportation links to areas such as the Aspirational District of Barwani.

The initiative is a result of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity, which integrates planning to provide seamless movement of people, goods, and services. The new line is expected to boost economic activity and support Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a self-reliant India (“Atmanirbhar Bharat”) by creating new employment and self-employment opportunities in the region.

The railway line will provide a shorter route between the western and southwestern parts of the country and Central India, promoting tourism by facilitating access to popular religious and tourist destinations, including Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple. It will also provide a direct link to the Pithampur Auto Cluster, which houses a significant number of large and small industries, and offer enhanced connectivity to agricultural hubs in both states, aiding the distribution of produce such as millets and onions across the country.

In terms of freight, the project will handle an estimated 26 million tonnes of cargo annually, supporting the transport of key commodities such as agricultural products, fertilizers, iron ore, steel, cement, and petroleum. The environmental benefits of the project are notable, with the railway line expected to reduce oil imports by 18 crore liters and lower carbon dioxide emissions by 138 crore kilograms—equivalent to planting 5.5 crore trees.