Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh): After completing the gauge conversion work up to Sanawad and continuous pressure to complete the remaining broad gauge conversion work from Sanawad to Mhow, the Railway Board has started the tender process in a phased manner for different parts to complete this route.
Under this, railways have issued tenders worth Rs 285 crores for gauge conversion and construction of a station building from Omkareshwar station to Mukhtiyar Balwada station. According to the information, the tender will be opened on October 11.
The time limit for completing this 21 Kilometre work has been set at 18 months.
Rail Committee former member Manoj Soni said that the locals have been demanding early completion of gauge conversion on this route for a long time.
Khandwa MP Dnyaneshwar Patil has also met railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav and CEO Railway Board four times in the last eight months and has made constant pressure to complete the Indore - Khandwa - Akola broad gauge rail project at the earliest.
Under this gauge conversion work, Western Railway issued tenders worth Rs 91 crore in April for about four kilometres between Sanawad and Omkareshwar station. Its work has started.
In the next phase, tender for development work between Omkareshwar and Mukhtiyar Balwara which is about 21 kilometres apart will be issued on September 11 and it will stand around Rs 285 crore.
At this cost, two main station buildings will be constructed at Mukhtiyar Balwara and Barwah. Two platforms will be built at both stations, one main line and two loop lines will be laid between these platforms within the stipulated time limit of 18 months. This work is likely to be completed by March 2025.
On the other hand, five kilometres of gauge conversion work between Mhow and Patalpani is also being done at a fast pace.
At the same time, last month, out of 21 tunnels to be built in the ghat section between Patalpani and Mukhtiyar Balwada, the largest tunnel, which is to be built four kilometres long, also issued a tender for the construction of this tunnel at a cost of 450 crores.
Similarly, the process of making other tunnels ahead of this is going on, and their tender is likely to be taken out in the next month. During the visit of Ashok Kumar Mishra, General Manager of Western Railway, to Mhow Indore, he assured that by June 2026, Mhow Sanawad gauge conversion work would be completed.
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