MP Secures 4 Rail Projects Worth Rs 242.08 Bn Under Gatishakti Plan

02 Jun 2025 CW Team

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced this development through a video conference.

Among the notable projects is the new Manmad–Indore rail line, which will extend 309 km and cost Rs 180.36 billion. This corridor is expected to create an important connection between the districts of Indore, Dhar, Khargone, and Barwani in Madhya Pradesh and the Nashik and Dhule districts in Maharashtra, thereby promoting regional development and enhancing mobility.

To strengthen freight transport, the Bhusaval–Khandwa section will be upgraded with the addition of third and fourth rail lines over a 131 km stretch at an estimated cost of ₹3,514 crore. This expansion is aimed at reducing congestion and facilitating smoother movement of goods.

In eastern Madhya Pradesh, the Prayagraj (Iradatganj)–Manikpur third rail line project, covering 84 km at a cost of Rs 16.40 billion, will improve connectivity between the Rewa region and the areas of Chitrakoot and Prayagraj in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, enabling faster passenger and freight transport.

Another significant initiative is the expansion of the Ratlam–Nagda section with third and fourth lines over 41 km, costing Rs 10.18 billion. This section serves as a key junction for rail traffic moving in four directions. The doubling of lines here is projected to reduce the line utilisation rate from the current 116 per cent to 65 per cent, thus greatly enhancing operational efficiency. This upgrade will also improve Madhya Pradesh’s access to western ports such as Kandla, Mundra, Pipavav, Hazira, and Dahej, benefiting both the industrial and agricultural sectors.

The project also includes upgrades at six stations—Ratlam Junction, Bangrod, Rankheda, Khachrod, Beravanya, and Nagda Junction. Additionally, construction will include 70 foot over bridges (FOBs), five major bridges, three railway over bridges (ROBs), and 15 under bridges. The route will be equipped with modern safety and signalling technology, including the "Kavach" system, and will be capable of supporting trains travelling at speeds up to 160 km/h.

Furthermore, three new trains have been introduced to enhance rail connectivity in Madhya Pradesh. The Rewa–Pune Express will provide a direct connection from Rewa to Pune via Jabalpur, offering a convenient long-distance travel option from the Vindhya region to Maharashtra.

The Jabalpur–Raipur Express, operating via Nainpur and Gondia, is expected to facilitate easier travel between the Mahakaushal region and Chhattisgarh, improving speed and passenger comfort.

In addition, the Gwalior–KSR Bengaluru City Express will connect Gwalior with Bengaluru via Guna and Bhopal, establishing a long-anticipated direct rail link between Madhya Pradesh and southern India.

Image source:

Four major railway infrastructure projects have been approved for Madhya Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Gatishakti Master Plan. These projects, spanning a total length of 565 kilometres and estimated to cost Rs 242.08 billion, are intended to significantly improve rail connectivity and increase freight and passenger capacity along key corridors in the state.Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced this development through a video conference.Among the notable projects is the new Manmad–Indore rail line, which will extend 309 km and cost Rs 180.36 billion. This corridor is expected to create an important connection between the districts of Indore, Dhar, Khargone, and Barwani in Madhya Pradesh and the Nashik and Dhule districts in Maharashtra, thereby promoting regional development and enhancing mobility.To strengthen freight transport, the Bhusaval–Khandwa section will be upgraded with the addition of third and fourth rail lines over a 131 km stretch at an estimated cost of ₹3,514 crore. This expansion is aimed at reducing congestion and facilitating smoother movement of goods.In eastern Madhya Pradesh, the Prayagraj (Iradatganj)–Manikpur third rail line project, covering 84 km at a cost of Rs 16.40 billion, will improve connectivity between the Rewa region and the areas of Chitrakoot and Prayagraj in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, enabling faster passenger and freight transport.Another significant initiative is the expansion of the Ratlam–Nagda section with third and fourth lines over 41 km, costing Rs 10.18 billion. This section serves as a key junction for rail traffic moving in four directions. The doubling of lines here is projected to reduce the line utilisation rate from the current 116 per cent to 65 per cent, thus greatly enhancing operational efficiency. This upgrade will also improve Madhya Pradesh’s access to western ports such as Kandla, Mundra, Pipavav, Hazira, and Dahej, benefiting both the industrial and agricultural sectors.The project also includes upgrades at six stations—Ratlam Junction, Bangrod, Rankheda, Khachrod, Beravanya, and Nagda Junction. Additionally, construction will include 70 foot over bridges (FOBs), five major bridges, three railway over bridges (ROBs), and 15 under bridges. The route will be equipped with modern safety and signalling technology, including the Kavach system, and will be capable of supporting trains travelling at speeds up to 160 km/h.Furthermore, three new trains have been introduced to enhance rail connectivity in Madhya Pradesh. The Rewa–Pune Express will provide a direct connection from Rewa to Pune via Jabalpur, offering a convenient long-distance travel option from the Vindhya region to Maharashtra.The Jabalpur–Raipur Express, operating via Nainpur and Gondia, is expected to facilitate easier travel between the Mahakaushal region and Chhattisgarh, improving speed and passenger comfort.In addition, the Gwalior–KSR Bengaluru City Express will connect Gwalior with Bengaluru via Guna and Bhopal, establishing a long-anticipated direct rail link between Madhya Pradesh and southern India.Image source:

Infrastructure Urban

02 Jun 2026

VECV Sales Rise 7.8 Per Cent In May 2026

VE Commercial Vehicles recorded sales of 7,978 units in May 2026, compared to 7,401 units in May 2025, registering growth of 7.8 per cent. This included 7,789 units from the Eicher brand and 189 units from the Volvo brand.Eicher branded trucks and buses reported sales of 7,789 units during the month, up 7.3 per cent from 7,258 units a year earlier. In the domestic commercial vehicle market, Eicher sales rose 9.1 per cent to 7,375 units from 6,758 units in May 2025.Exports declined 17.2 per cent to 414 units from 500 units in the corresponding month last year. Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses recor..

Infrastructure Urban

02 Jun 2026

Table Space Strengthens DESYN Leadership Team

Table Space has announced strategic leadership appointments within DESYN, its integrated Design and Build business, as it looks to strengthen operations across key enterprise and GCC markets in India. DESYN was launched as a strategic extension of Table Space’s workspace solutions portfolio to meet rising demand for agile, high-quality and rapidly deployable enterprise workspaces.Shruti Ookabhoy has joined DESYN as Executive Director and will lead the Design vertical, focusing on design capability, operational excellence and team development across markets. She brings over 22 years of experi..

Infrastructure Transport

02 Jun 2026

Concord Associate Bags Rs 2.79 Bn Kavach Order

Concord Control Systems said its associate company, Progota India, has received a Rs 2.79 bn domestic order from Indian Railways for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of on-board Kavach 4.0 loco equipment.The order is scheduled for execution within 12 months and strengthens Concord’s role in India’s railway safety and signalling ecosystem. Kavach is India’s indigenous automatic train protection system, designed to improve operational safety by helping prevent signal passing at danger and reducing collision risks.Gaurav Lath, Joint Managing Director, Concord Control Syst..