Madhya Pradesh’s Tribal Belt Gets Rail Connectivity After 19-Year Wait; Tanda Road-Vadodara MEMU Train Launched

Dhar (Madhya Pradesh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the Tanda Road-Pratap Nagar (Vadodara) MEMU passenger train service on Tuesday, bringing rail connectivity to the tribal districts of Dhar and Aalirajpur. Union minister Savitri Thakur flagged off the 12-coach train at Tanda Road.

Collector Rajeev Ranjan Meena, SP Sachin Sharma, minister Nagar Singh Chouhan, Dhar MLA Neena Verma, District Panchayat president Sardar Meda, district BJP president Chanchal Patidar and district Congress president Swatantra Joshi attended.

A large crowd gathered to witness the train. However, seating arrangements at the inauguration drew criticism.

Tanda sarpanch Varsha Chauhan reportedly could not find a seat, while several women public representatives remained standing. Sharma intervened to manage arrangements.

The service connects Tanda Road railway station in the Gandhwani area with Pratap Nagar in Vadodara.

It is expected to improve connectivity between the Tribal belt and Gujarat, benefiting areas including Vadodara, Chhota Udepur and Aalirajpur.

The service is also expected to improve access to healthcare, education and employment. A proposal to operate freight trains between Tanda Road and Pratap Nagar is also under consideration.

Thakur said the government was committed to developing Tribal regions and described the launch as historic.

Modi also laid foundation stones and inaugurated railway projects worth Rs 30,700 crore in Vadodara. Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spoke about the modernisation of rail services.

MP, officials take first Dekakund train

AALIRAJPUR: Travelling on the first train from Dekakund to Aalirajpur, MP Anita Nagar Singh Chauhan, Collector Neetu Mathur and SP Raghuvansh Singh interacted with passengers after the new railway station was inaugurated on Tuesday.

Nearly 19 years after the Chhota Udaipur-Dhar rail project was initiated, rail connectivity has reached Dekakund.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated Dekakund railway station and the Jobat-Tanda Road railway line during a programme in Vadodara, Gujarat. A large number of villagers also travelled on the first train.

Chauhan said the rail connectivity would improve transport and access to business, employment, education and healthcare in rural and Tribal areas.

Jobat MLA Sena Mahesh Patel, SDM Manoj Garhwal, departmental officers, public representatives and villagers attended the programme. The new rail link connects the rural and Tribal areas of Alirajpur district to the rail network.

Congress vs BJP: Rail project sparks credit war

Jobat Congress MLA Sena Mahesh Patel and BJP Cabinet Minister Nagar Singh Chauhan traded claims on Tuesday over credit for the Pratap Nagar-Tanda Road railway line and Dekakund station.

Patel said the Chhota Udaepur - Dhar project was initiated under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, with Congress leaders Narendra Bhai Rathwa and Kantilal Bhuria spearheading it.

Chauhan countered that the project received substantial funding after PM Modi assumed the post in 2014.

He said Tribal passengers could now travel to Baroda for Rs 35 from Aalirajpur and for under Rs 50 from Dekakund-Tanda, benefiting workers and patients.

Chauhan said 43 km of the Tanda-Tirla track remains and expressed confidence it would be completed by 2031. Villagers gathered in large numbers for the first train.