Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In a move likely to push the progress of the ambitious Indore-Manmad project, the central government has notified that it would acquire around 150 hectare land for the Rs 18,000-crore railway project.
The land to be acquired comes under Mhow tehsil and is spread across 18 villages of Indore district. According to officials, the land is owned by 943 villagers.
The notification was published in a Government of India gazette on December 2. The Indore-Manmad project was approved in the 2024-25 Union Budget.
Manoj Marathe, a member of the Indore-Manmad Rail Project Struggle Committee, said that the acquisition hasn’t officially begun yet. “Currently, the size of the required land and owners are being identified. After the notification, the district administration will formally send notices to the land owners,” he said.
“Later, their claims and objections will be invited. Following the completion of the due procedure, the land acquisition will be initiated,” he added.
The Railways had conducted an aerial and geographical survey for the identification of the private and government land required for the project.
Marathe said that though the land acquisition process had started in Indore
district, there was no progress in acquiring the land needed for the project in Dhar and Barwani districts.
Nagesh Namjoshi, former member of the Passenger Amenities Committee of the Railway Board, said the Indore-Manmad project would be a great milestone for the development of the Malwa and Nimar region of the state. “The project would provide a direct and shorter route to send export consignments to Jawaharlal Nehru port Trust (JNPT) and open the frontiers for the whole northern India,” he added.
