Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw provided an update on the Indore-Budhni new rail line project in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
He announced that the 205-km rail link between Indore (Mangaliyagaon) and Budhni has been approved at a total cost of Rs 3,261.82 crore. As of March 2024, Rs 948.37 crore has already been spent, with an additional allocation of Rs 1,107.25 crore for the financial year 2024-25.
The update came in response to a query from Narmadapuram (Hoshangabad) MP Darshan Singh Chaudhary regarding the status of the 342-km Jabalpur-Indore rail project via Gadarwara and Budhni. Minister Vaishnaw clarified that the railway is not proceeding with the 137-km stretch between Gadarwara and Budhni, as both locations are already linked via Itarsi.
The new route would offer no significant distance reduction, making the project impractical. Therefore, current work is focused solely on the Indore (Mangaliyagaon)–Budhni section.
Project Benefits
Reduced Travel Time: The new rail line will shorten journey duration between Indore, Mumbai and South India.
Bypassing Busy Routes: Direct connectivity between Budhni and Indore will help avoid congestion on the Bhopal-Itarsi route, including the challenging ghat section between Budhni and Barkheda.
Enhanced Route Connectivity: The rail line will originate from Budhni’s existing yard and link to Mangaliyagaon station near Indore, covering Sehore, Dewas and Indore districts.
Improved Access for Underserved Areas: Towns and villages like Nasrullaganj, Khategaon and Kannaud, currently without railway links, will gain connectivity.
Regional Development Boost: The project will stimulate industrial growth, enhance socio-economic progress, generate employment and improve transportation facilities across the region.
