The Indore-Manmad new rail line project has moved closer to implementation, with Central Railway floating an e-tender worth Rs. 49.31 bn for developing a 72.66-km section between Mhow and Gyaraspurkhedi near Dhamnod in Madhya Pradesh. The contract will cover construction across hilly and plain terrain.

The successful contractor will have 48 months to complete the work after the contract is awarded. The section will include 25 major railway bridges, several minor bridges, four Road Over Bridges, tunnels and a high-level railway viaduct, reflecting the varied engineering requirements along the route.

Seven stations have been proposed on the stretch at Gyaraspurkhedi, Chiktyawad, Neemgarh, Sarai Talab, Jhadi Baroda, Kelaud and Kamadpur. The planned stations are intended to support passenger movement and improve access for communities located along the line.

Central Railway will hold the first pre-bid meeting on November 30 and the second on December 30. Online bidding is scheduled to begin on February 4, 2027, while the deadline for submitting bids has been fixed at 11 am on February 18, 2027.

Indore MP Shankar Lalwani welcomed the progress and credited the Prime Minister and railway minister for advancing the long-standing demand of the Malwa-Nimar region. Manoj Marathe, head of the Manmad-Indore Railway Struggle Committee and a petitioner in the Public Interest Litigation concerning the project, also said residents had been seeking the rail link for many years.

The line is expected to strengthen Malwa-Nimar’s links with major markets in Maharashtra and South India. It is also projected to support agricultural transport, freight movement, industrial activity and employment in the region, although the project’s wider benefits will depend on timely completion and commissioning.