Bhopal, February 24 Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday that the proposed Dedicated Freight Corridor from West Bengal to Gujarat will serve as a strong foundation for the large-scale industrial development of Madhya Pradesh.
He was speaking while virtually flagging off two trains – the new tri-weekly express train between Bhopal-Dhanbad-Bhopal and the weekly express train between Bhopal-Chopan-Bhopal.
He flagged off the two trains from Rail Bhawan in New Delhi, while Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav participated in the ceremony from the Bhopal railway station.
Train No. 11631/32 Bhopal-Dhanbad-Bhopal New Tri-Weekly Express and Train No. 11633/34 Bhopal-Chopan-Bhopal New Weekly Express mark a significant step towards enhancing rail connectivity and passenger convenience in Madhya Pradesh and adjoining states.
MP Deputy Chief Ministers Jagdish Devda and Rajendra Shukla were present on the occasion.
These new train services have been introduced keeping in view the convenience of rail passengers and the growing demand for direct connectivity from Madhya Pradesh to Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, an official said.
Vaishnaw said that railway development in Madhya Pradesh has reached an unprecedented scale during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term.
Projects of approximately Rs 48,000 crore, directly connecting with Madhya Pradesh, have been sanctioned during this period, he said.
The long-awaited Indore-Manmad new railway line, a dream project for the region, has been sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 18,000 crore, he said.
The Bhusawal-Khandwa third and fourth line project has been approved at Rs 3,500 crore, while the Prayagraj-Manikpur third line project has been sanctioned at Rs 1,640 crore. The Ratlam-Nagda third and fourth line project has been approved at Rs 1,000 crore, according to him.
In addition, the Itarsi-Nagpur fourth railway line project has been sanctioned at Rs 5,400 crore. The important Itarsi-Bhopal-Bina fourth line corridor, a crucial high-density route, has been approved at Rs 4,300 crore, he said.
The Vadodara-Ratlam third and fourth line project has been sanctioned at Rs 8,800 crore, the minister said, adding that the cabinet also approved the Gondia-Jabalpur doubling project at a cost of Rs 5,200 crore.
Vaishnaw said that in order to enhance freight and logistics efficiency, the Union budget has proposed a new Dedicated Freight Corridor from Dankuni (West Bengal) to Surat (Gujarat), passing through Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
This new freight corridor will serve as a strong foundation for the large-scale industrial development of Madhya Pradesh.
This 2,052 km East-West corridor will connect with the existing Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, enabling seamless movement of goods to western ports, reducing pressure on the existing rail network, and accelerating industrial growth, he said.
The minister further said that through this corridor, Madhya Pradesh will be efficiently connected to major ports on the western coast, including ports in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The upcoming Vadhvan Port in Maharashtra, which is expected to be among the largest ports in the world upon completion, along with existing ports such as Hazira and Mundra, will provide enhanced connectivity for the state, according to him.
With high-speed freight connectivity to these ports, industries in Madhya Pradesh will gain significant advantages in both export and import operations, whether for containerised cargo or bulk commodities. This improved logistics ecosystem is expected to accelerate industrial growth in the state, he said.
CM Yadav expressed happiness that the newly-introduced train service has commenced operations, ensuring daily rail connectivity to Singrauli.
He described the development as a significant gift for the region.
Apart from Singrauli, the train would also benefit people travelling between Singrauli and Dhanbad, where many residents are engaged in trade, business, and employment, he said, adding that the introduction of this service establishes direct rail connectivity with Jharkhand and Bihar, benefiting residents across the three states.
He added that the new rail service is not merely a transportation facility but a pathway for future development.
