The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the construction of a new 309 km railway line between Mumbai and Indore, with an estimated cost of Rs 180.36 billion. The project, expected to be completed by 2028-29, will span six districts across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, significantly expanding the Indian Railways network. According to an official statement, the project will include the construction of 30 new stations, enhancing connectivity to Aspirational District Barwani. The new line will connect approximately 1,000 villages, impacting around 3 million people. The railway line will provide direct access from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority's gateway port and other state ports to the Pithampur Auto Cluster, which houses 700 small and medium-sized enterprises and 90 large industrial units. It will also facilitate the transportation of millet and onions from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to northern and southern India. This project is part of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which aims to enable seamless multi-modal connectivity for the movement of people, products, and services. The integrated planning approach has made this project possible. Additionally, the new line is expected to boost tourism by providing a faster route between Central India and the Western/South Western regions of the country, attracting visitors to the Sri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple and other tourist and religious sites in the Ujjain?Indore area. (ET)