Indian Railways has approved the Somtane?Chikhli chord line project in Maharashtra at a cost of Rs 1.72 billion (bn) to decongest Panvel Junction. The Ministry of Railways said the sanction addresses a critical missing rail link and forms part of a broader effort to improve rail capacity and freight throughput. The project funding reflects investment in targeted infrastructure to ease passenger and freight movements through the Mumbai metropolitan region.

The new chord line will bridge the missing connection between Chikhli on the Karjat route and Somtane on the Roha route, creating a direct link that bypasses the congested Panvel station. Trains using the chord will not need to enter Panvel Junction or undergo engine reversal, thereby reducing operational delays and simplifying scheduling. The alignment is expected to integrate with existing corridor operations and provide a more direct corridor for through movements.

The project carries particular significance for freight movements associated with the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and Trust, which handles 60 per cent of India's container traffic, and for operators that depend on fast port linkage. Authorities indicated the chord will save about 110 minutes of detention time per freight train, substantially improving turnaround and logistics efficiency for container services. Reduced dwell at congested nodes should lower operational costs and support more reliable scheduling across the supply chain.

With this approval, Indian Railways has reinforced its focus on capacity augmentation, multimodal connectivity and development of efficient freight infrastructure to support growing logistics and economic requirements. The scheme is expected to complement other investments aimed at streamlining port access and freight corridors in the region. Implementation planning and execution timelines will determine how swiftly the anticipated operational benefits are realised.