Cabinet approves 309 km long Manmad-Indore new line project

Nashik: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, has approved the long-anticipated Manmad–Indore railway line project.
The total cost for the project is Rs. 18,036 crore, according to a statement from the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
The project will traverse two districts in Maharashtra — Nashik and Dhule — and four districts in Madhya Pradesh, forming part of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity."The cabinet's approval will accelerate development in areas currently lacking train connectivity and bolster links to JNPT, Mumbai," said a senior officer from the Bhusawal division of Central Railway.
Currently, trains to Indore travel either via Surat on the Western Railway route or via Bhopal on the Central Railway route, covering distances of approximately 850 to 900 km. The new 309-km line, branching off from Manmad junction, is set to reduce this distance by over 300 km. "This new route will significantly benefit passengers and facilitate the transport of export-bound goods from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh," the officer added.
The survey for this line was originally conducted in 1908 by the British, and it has been a prominent political issue for decades. The project will establish 30 new stations, connect about 1,000 villages, and benefit a population of 30 lakh. It will also link the Jyotirlinga temples of Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain and Trimbakeshwar in Nashik, and improve connectivity for millet-producing districts in Madhya Pradesh and onion-producing districts in Maharashtra.
Prime Minister Modi had previously performed the ceremony for the track virtually in 2019.
Former MP of Dhule, Dr. Subhash Bhamre, expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the project's approval. "Throughout my 10 years in parliament, I repeatedly advocated for this railway line to various railway ministers, and its approval will bring significant development to the region," Bhamre said.