Railways Approves ₹493 Crore Mukutban-Gadchandur Rail Line
38.21-km new line to shorten freight routes, ease congestion and support mining and industrial activity
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 18th Sept: Indian Railways has approved the construction of a 38.21-km new railway line between Mukutban in Yavatmal district and Gadchandur in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra at an estimated cost of ₹493 crore, the Ministry of Railways said on Friday.
The project, under South Central Railway, is aimed at strengthening rail connectivity between two important industrial and mining centres and improving the movement of both passengers and freight.
Mukutban and Gadchandur serve several cement plants, coal mines operated by Western Coalfields Ltd. and nearby limestone mines. The new railway line is expected to provide improved connectivity to these industrial clusters and facilitate more efficient transportation of freight.
The new route will offer a shorter rail connection, reducing travel distance, transportation time and associated costs. It will also provide an alternative route to the existing Wardha-Manikgarh section, helping ease congestion and facilitate smoother freight movement.
According to the Detailed Project Report, the line is expected to handle 6.08 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of freight traffic after commissioning. It is also planned to support two MEMU trains in each direction every day.
The expected freight mix includes coal and coke, cement, sponge iron, metal scrap, iron and steel, fertilisers and foodgrains, among other commodities.
The project will provide direct connectivity between the coal and cement cluster and the Majri-Nanded route, enabling shorter freight leads towards Jalna, Parbhani, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and other destinations in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
The new line is also expected to reduce dependence on the congested Balharshah-Nagpur High-Density Network (HDN) route. At the same time, it will improve rail connectivity in relatively less-connected areas of Yavatmal and Chandrapur districts.
Indian Railways said the project will add capacity to the regional network, provide an additional corridor for growing freight and passenger demand and improve the utilisation of existing railway infrastructure.
The enhanced connectivity is expected to support industrial activity, movement of essential commodities and broader economic development in the region.
