Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The much-awaited and ambitious 309 km Indore-Manmad green field rail line project would be included in the full Railway Budget to be presented by the new Union government in July. Network Planning Group (NPG) working under PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan has expedited the project approval process. The project will link two crucial economic zones i.e. Mumbai and Indore and open venues for the economic development of industrially barren area of the state like Sendhwa, Barwani and Khargone district.
The 66th meeting of the Centre’s Network Planning Group has expedited the process for the 309-km Indore-Manmad Broad Gauge (BG) new railway line project to open a direct route from Mumbai to Indore, fostering improved connectivity and socio-economic growth in backward areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The project details were examined in the meeting held recently from the perspective of integrated planning based on principles of PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, official sources informed.
‘The meeting was attended by NPG members heading the network planning wing of respective infrastructure ministries to discuss projects from the perspective of integrated planning based on the principles of PM Gati Shakti and area development approach for overall regional socio-economic upliftment.
The attendees included officials from infrastructure ministries, representatives from states where projects would be implemented, among others. The project details were examined based on the planning on PM Gati Shakti NMP. The key outcomes of the evaluation exercise were discussed with the objective of improving connectivity with various economic and social nodes ensuring first and last mile connectivity and multi-modal infrastructure with the perspective of the whole of government approach’, official sources added.
The Greenfield BG line project will stretch across Maharashtra (Nashik and Dhule districts) and Madhya Pradesh (Barwani, Khargone, Dhar and Indore districts), connecting existing rail head stations of Manmad and Mhow.
Nagesh Namjoshi |
Expertspeak
Indore-Manmad new line project is of national importance. Earlier, the project had to be completed by tri-parties including MP Govt, the Railway Ministry and the Shipping Ministry, but later the Shipping Ministry withdrew itself from the project. The total distance of the project is 339 km, out of which the construction work of 30-km long Dhulee-Nardhana is underway. After the completion of the project the rail distance of Indore-Mumbai will reduce by 200 km to about 750 km and Indore-Pune also by 200 km. The project cost earlier was Rs 10k cr but now it has rose to Rs 22k cr. The most significant aspect of the project is that it will provide an alternate railway route to the nation to reach South India and Pune besides Itarsi and Bhopal. Now NPG will pass-on the project to NITI Aayog for final approval, then will it be presented before new union Cabinet which will give its approval and subsequently most likely it would be included in the full next railway budget to be presented in the month of July. The project would accelerate movement of goods, cargo, export containers from Indore, Dewas, Ratlam Pithampur to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Mumbai.
-Nagesh Namjoshi, ex-member Passengers’ Amenities Committee of Railway Board
