The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a significant new railway line project under the Ministry of Railways with a total estimated cost of Rs. 18,036 crore. The proposed railway line between Indore and Manmad aims to provide direct connectivity, enhancing mobility, efficiency, and service reliability for Indian Railways.
This ambitious project aligns with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a New India and the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, aimed at strengthening multi-modal connectivity through integrated planning. The new railway line will cover six districts across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, expanding the Indian Railways network by approximately 309 kilometres and establishing 30 new stations, including enhancing connectivity to the Aspirational District of Barwani. The project will directly benefit around 1,000 villages and 30 lakh people, creating new employment and self-employment opportunities, making the region more self-reliant.
The project will provide a shorter route between the western and south-western parts of the country and central India, boosting tourism in the Ujjain-Indore region, including key attractions like the Sri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple. Additionally, the line will offer direct connectivity to the Pithampur Auto Cluster, which houses 90 large and 700 small to medium industries, connecting it with the gateway port of JNPA and other state ports.
The new line will also benefit the agricultural sector, linking millet-producing districts of Madhya Pradesh and onion-producing districts of Maharashtra, facilitating efficient distribution across northern and southern India. This essential route will support the transportation of key commodities such as agricultural products, fertilisers, containers, iron ore, steel, cement, and POL.
The Indore-Manmad railway line project will enhance freight traffic by approximately 26 MTPA (Million Tonnes per Annum). The environmentally friendly railway system will help India achieve its climate goals, reduce logistics costs, minimise oil imports by 18 crore litres, and cut CO2 emissions by 138 crore kilograms, equivalent to planting 5.5 crore trees, making a substantial contribution to sustainable development.
