Mumbai-Indore rail line gets Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs nod

Representative pic

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Monday approved a 309-km new line project, providing the shortest rail connectivity between the two major commercial hubs of Mumbai and Indore, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed.

The total cost of the project has been pegged at Rs 18,036 crore and it will be completed by 2028-29, the minister added.

The project will facilitate the construction of 30 new stations, providing enhanced connectivity to the aspirational district of Barwani in Madhya Pradesh.

The line project will provide connectivity to approximately 1,000 villages and about 30 lakh population and the project will generate direct employment for about 102 lakh human days during the construction, news agency PTI reported.

An official statement by the railways later said the project is a result of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity which has been possible through integrated planning. The project, covers six districts in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, will provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods and services, the statement added.

It is also likely to boost tourism in the region by providing a shorter route between western/southwestern parts of the country and central India.

"This will increase the tourist footfall to various tourist/religious places in the Ujjain-Indore region, including the Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirling Temple. The project will provide direct connectivity to Pithampur Auto Cluster (which houses 90 large units and 700 small and medium industries) from the gateway port of JNPA and other state ports," the statement read.

The project is set to provide direct connectivity to the millet-producing districts of Madhya Pradesh and onion-producing districts of Maharashtra which will facilitate the distribution of the produce to the northern and southern parts of the country.

"This is an essential route for transportation of commodities such as agriculture products, fertilisers, containers, iron ore, steel, cement, petroleum, oil and lubricants," the statement read.

"The Railways being environment-friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (18 crore litres) and lower CO2 emissions (138 crore kg) which is equivalent to plantation of 5.5 crore trees," it further said.

(With PTI inputs)