Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Ministry of Environment and Forests has granted clearance for the long-pending broad gauge railway line project between Indore and Khandwa.
With this approval, construction work is expected to begin soon.
According to officials, the project involves laying the railway line through about 454 hectares of forest land. As part of the work, around 16 tunnels will be constructed across a 20-kilometre stretch.
The railway line is considered an important project for the development of the Malwa and Nimar regions, including Indore.
Authorities have granted temporary permission to start construction work between March 10, 2026, and June 9, 2026.
Member of Parliament Shankar Lalwani said that the required in-principle approval for the use of forest land has been granted, which will help speed up the project.
For the project, around 1.34 lakh trees will be cut before laying the railway track. Officials had identified about 1.51 lakh trees in total, out of which nearly 17,000 trees will be preserved.
Earlier, in October 2025, the Indore Forest Division had sent the project file to the Bhopal headquarters for approval.
The Regional Environment Committee (REC) has also asked the Railways to ensure that if the old railway line is no longer used, the land should be returned to the forest department.
The Railways has also been directed to prepare a Green Railway Corridor Management Plan.
Under the project, 16 tunnels will be constructed across a 20-kilometre section. This includes a 4.1-km tunnel between Badiya and Beka, a 2.2-km tunnel between Choral and Mukhtiyar Balwada, and a 1.6-km tunnel near Rajpur. In addition, 13 smaller tunnels covering about 12.1 km will also be built.
