Indian Railways has approved the construction of a 38.21-km new railway line between Mukutban (Adilabad) and Gadchandur in Maharashtra under South Central Railway at a cost of ₹493 crore.
The project is aimed at strengthening regional rail connectivity, providing a shorter route for passenger and freight movement and supporting industrial and mining activity in the Yavatmal and Chandrapur districts.
Rail link to strengthen industrial and mining connectivity
Mukutban in Yavatmal district and Gadchandur in Chandrapur district are important industrial and mining centres, with several cement plants, coal mines operated by Western Coalfields Ltd. and nearby limestone mines.
The new rail line is expected to improve connectivity to these industrial clusters and facilitate more efficient transportation of freight.
Alternative route to decongest existing network
The new line will provide a shorter rail route, reducing travel distance, transportation time and associated costs. It will also serve as an alternative route to the existing Wardha-Manikgarh section, helping ease congestion and improve the movement of freight traffic.
According to the Detailed Project Report, the project is expected to handle 6.08 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of freight traffic after commissioning. The line is also expected to support the operation of two MEMU trains in each direction per day.
The freight traffic is expected to comprise coal and coke, cement, sponge iron, metal scrap, iron and steel, fertilisers and foodgrains, among other commodities.
Direct link to Majri-Nanded route
The new railway line will provide direct connectivity between the coal and cement industrial cluster and the Majri-Nanded route.
This will enable shorter freight leads for coal, cement and RMSP traffic towards Jalna, Parbhani, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and other destinations in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Reduce dependence on Balharshah-Nagpur route
The project is also expected to reduce dependence on the congested Balharshah-Nagpur High-Density Network (HDN) route.
At the same time, it will strengthen rail connectivity in relatively less-connected areas of Yavatmal and Chandrapur districts, supporting industrial and economic activity in the region.
The new line will add capacity to the regional railway network, facilitate the movement of essential commodities and provide an additional corridor to meet growing passenger and freight requirements.
The project is expected to improve utilisation of the existing railway network while strengthening rail infrastructure and supporting industrial and regional economic development.
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