The central government has stepped up rail infrastructure work in Madhya Pradesh over the past decade, with budget allocations and track commissioning rising sharply, Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw told the Rajya Sabha on Friday.
“The budget allocation for projects and safety works in Madhya Pradesh has increased more than 23 times compared to 2009-14,” Vaishnaw said. “We are working on 24 projects in the state, including new lines, gauge conversions, and track doubling.”
According to government data, Madhya Pradesh saw the commissioning of 2,651 km of new track between 2014 and 2025, compared to 145 km between 2009 and 2014.
As of April 1, 2025, projects totaling 4,740 km and costing ₹89,543 crore are at various stages of planning and execution. Of these, 2,092 km have already been completed, with ₹41,401 crore spent so far.
Status of Railway Projects in Madhya Pradesh
| S.No | Name of Project | Length (Km) | Latest / Sanctioned Cost (₹ crore) |
| 1 | Guna–Etawah New Line | 348 | 683 |
| 2 | Jabalpur–Gondia Gauge Conversion | 300 | 2,005 |
| 3 | Chhindwara–Nagpur Gauge Conversion | 150 | 1,512 |
| 4 | Chhindwara–Mandla Fort Gauge Conversion | 182 | 1,268 |
| 5 | Ghat Pindari–Balkheda Doubling | 6 | 29 |
| 6 | Guna–Ruthiyai Doubling | 20 | 175 |
| 7 | Khodri–Anuppur Doubling | 62 | 489 |
| 8 | Jukhei Chord line (Katni Yard Bypass) | 2 | 12 |
| 9 | Sontalai–Bagratawa Doubling | 7 | 110 |
| 10 | Itarsi–Budhni 3rd Line | 25 | 286 |
| 11 | Teegaon–Chichonda Ghat Section 3rd Line | 17 | 176 |
| 12 | Bhopal–Bina 3rd Line | 145 | 1,075 |
| 13 | Barkhera–Habibganj 3rd Line | 41 | 473 |
| 14 | Nagda–Ujjain Doubling of Gambhir Bridge | 2 | 28 |
| 15 | Pendra Road–Anuppur 3rd Line | 50 | 394 |
| 16 | Bina–Kota Doubling | 283 | 2,477 |
| 17 | Nimach–Chittaurgarh Doubling | 56 | 560 |
| 18 | Khodri–Anuppur Doubling with Bilaspur Flyover | 72 | 792 |
| 19 | Budhni–Barkhera 3rd Line | 27 | 1,703 |
| 20 | Indore–Ujjain Doubling | 79 | 757 |
| 21 | Powerkheda–Jujharpur Single Line Flyover (UP direction) | 16 | 443 |
| 22 | Anuppur–Katni 3rd Line | 165 | 2,311 |
| 23 | Ramna–Singrauli Doubling | 160 | 2,436 |
| 24 | Karaila Road–Shaktinagar Doubling | 32 | 763 |
| 25 | Malkhedi–Mahadeokhedi Doubling | 12 | 59 |
The minister confirmed that the third line between Bina and Katni has been approved and is nearly finished. “Out of 260 km, 235 km have been commissioned. Work is ongoing in the remaining section,” Vaishnaw said.
He explained that the Bina–Katni section is a heavily used route on the West Central Railway and is under pressure from increased train movements, new industries, upcoming thermal power plants, and an oil refinery. “Once the third line is commissioned, we can operate more passenger and freight trains, reducing congestion and delays,” he said.
Major Ongoing and Sanctioned Projects
| S.No | Project | Length (Km) | Sanctioned Cost (₹ crore) |
| 1 | Manmad–Indore New Line (excluding Dhule–Nardana) | 309 | 16,320 |
| 2 | Ramganjmandi–Bhopal New Line | 189 | 5,073 |
| 3 | Indore–Budni New Line | 198 | 7,474 |
| 4 | Lalitpur–Satna, Rewa–Singrauli & Mahoba–Khajuraho New Line | 541 | 8,914 |
| 5 | Dahod–Indore New Line | 205 | 4,095 |
| 6 | Chhota Udepur–Dhar New Line | 147 | 1,794 |
| 7 | Nimach–Badi Sadri New Line | 48 | 495 |
| 8 | Gwalior–Sheopurkalan Gauge Conversion with extension to Kota | 284 | 2,913 |
| 9 | Ratlam–Akola Gauge Conversion | 525 | 6,384 |
| 10 | Itarsi–Nagpur 3rd Line | 280 | 2,450 |
| 11 | Jhansi–Bina 3rd Line | 153 | 2,002 |
| 12 | Mathura–Jhansi 3rd Line | 274 | 5,924 |
| 13 | Jhansi–Manikpur & Khirar–Bhimsen Doubling | 431 | 4,330 |
| 14 | Katni–Bina 3rd Line | 260 | 3,138 |
| 15 | Katni Grade Separator / Bypass | 35 | 2,300 |
| 16 | Katni–Singrauli Doubling | 257 | 4,377 |
| 17 | Satna–Rewa Doubling | 50 | 590 |
| 18 | Ruthiyai Bypass Line | 3 | 54 |
| 19 | Guna Bypass Line | 2 | 179 |
| 20 | Nimach–Ratlam Doubling | 133 | 1,096 |
| 21 | Ujjain Flyover | 2 | 100 |
| 22 | Shahdol–Singhpur Doubling | 6 | 54 |
| 23 | Bhusawal–Khandwa 3rd & 4th Line | 131 | 3,285 |
The government says railway projects are prioritized based on traffic projections, operational needs, and socio-economic considerations. Completion timelines depend on factors such as land acquisition, forest clearances, and local law and order.
Support us to keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.
Keep Reading
Indore Startup Swaaha takes the lead in making Amarnath Yatra eco-friendly
Amarnath Yatra: Tackling rising death toll from extreme weather events
Amarnath yatra pilgrims urinating in Sindh river: A threat to environment
IMD operationalizes Banihal Doppler weather radar to detect high-impact weather events
Stay connected with Ground Report for underreported environmental stories.
Follow us on X, Instagram, and Facebook; share your thoughts at greport2018@gmail.com; subscribe to our weekly newsletter for deep dives from the margins; join our WhatsApp community for real-time updates; and catch our video reports on YouTube.
Your support amplifies voices too often overlooked—thank you for being part of the movement.
