The Centre’s Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), on Monday, approved the construction of a 309-km long new line from Manmad in Maharashtra to Indore in Madhya Pradesh (MP). The estimated cost of the line is Rs 18036 crore and is being targeted for completion in FY29.
This new line will run parallel to national highway (NH 52) between Mhow and Malegaon and will be the shortest route between Mumbai and Indore.
Benefits
Several benefits will accrue once this line is built. They are:
One, it will provide first time rail connectivity to about 30 lakh people across 1000 villages and several towns living in the tribal districts of MP and Maharashtra along the new line.
Two, Indian Railways (IR) will haul additional freight traffic of 26 million tonnes per annum ( MTPA) besides providing direct employment of 102 lakh man-days.
Three, it will serve as an alternative route to JNPT ( Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust) in Navi Mumbai from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Northern Maharashtra. This will be used to carry commodities such as agriculture products, fertilizer, containers, iron ore, steel, cement, POL(petroleum, oil and lubricants) .
Four, being an electrified line, it will help IR reduce oil imports by 18 crore litres while lowering CO2 emissions by 138 crore kg.
Lastly, it will boost tourism and pilgrimage to various tourist/ religious places such as Ujjain’s Mahakaleshar Jyotirling, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar and Mandu in MP besides Trimbakeshwar and Grishneshwar Jyotirlings in Maharashtra.
Original Cost
The project was originally sanctioned in the year 2016-17 at a cost of Rs 9968 crore in Central Railway’s pink book. Of this, Rs 4983.99 crore was sanctioned under the head , Capital ; Rs 1 lakh under Safety Fund and Rs 4984 crore under the head extra budgetary resources further taken under the sub-head public private partnership known as EBR (P).
Alignment details
The rail line will pass through two districts of Maharashtra- Nashik and Dhule and four districts of MP – Barwani, Khargone, Dhar and Indore. It will have 34 railway stations along its route. Of this, four are existing stations while 30 will be built. The 139-km length in Maharashtra will have 16 stations ( 3 existing) while the 170-km length in MP will have 18 stations ( 1 existing). The details of stations are as below:
Maharashtra (16 stations): Manmad (existing), Khatgaon, Chondhi, Mehun, Yesgaon BK, Malegaon, Chikhalhol, Zodge, Purmepada, Kasbe Lalingnan, New Dhule(existing),Nardana (existing), Dabhashi, Shirpur,Lauki, Sangvi BK.
Madhya Pradesh ( 18 stations) : Malwan, Bawadad, Wanihar, Salikalan, Jhulwania, Kusmari, Baghadi, Ajandi, Jarwah, Kothada, Gyaspur Khedi, Chikatyawad, Neemgad, Saray Talab, Jhadibaroda, Kamadpur, Kelod and Dr Ambedkar Nagar (existing).
Ongoing works
Works on the 50.6-km Dhule- Nardana section are already on with a targeted completion date of December 2027.
Tunnels
The line will have 17 tunnels of total length 21.2 km. Of this, two tunnels totalling 3.5 km in length will be in Maharashtra, the longer one being 2.16 km in length. In Madhya Pradesh, seven tunnels totalling 17.7 km will be constructed across the Vindhyan ranges with the longest at 6.02 km.
Bridges, ROBs, RUBs and Goods sheds
Along the line, seven important bridges, 94 major bridges ( 44 in Maharashtra, 50 in MP) and 130 minor bridges (47 in Maharashtra, 83 in MP) will be built. Of the seven important bridges, three are in Maharashtra over the rivers Girna, Tapi and Arunawati while four are in MP over Chambal, Narmada, Dev and Goi rivers.
A total of 47 road-over bridges (ROBs, 12 in Maharashtra and 35 in MP) and 141 Road-under -bridges (RUBs, 79 in Maharashtra and 62 in MP) will be built to enhance safety along the route.
Four goods sheds for handling at Kelod and Gyaspur Khedi (MP) and New Dhule and Malegaon (Maharashtra) will be built to handle both industrial and agri-produce.
Land Acquisition
A total of 1701.3 hectares of land will be acquired for this project. Of this, 1420.5 hectares will be private land, 243.7 hectares will be government land and the remaining 37 hectares will be forest land. 905 hectares will be acquired in Madhya Pradesh and the remaining 796.3 hectares in Maharashtra.
Technical details
Design speed: 160 kmph
Traction system : 2*25 KV AC
Signalling: KAVACH system
Sleeper density per km : 1660
Rail : 60 kg, 90 UTS, 25 ton axle load
Gradient :1 in 100
All bridge structures will be as per double line requirements so that doubling of the line can be done easily.
