The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the new railway line project under the Ministry of Railways on 02 September, 2024. The proposed new line between Indore and Manmad, entailing a total cost of approx. Rs 18,036 crore will provide direct connectivity and improve mobility.

The project, under the PM-GatiShakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity will offer seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods, and services. It will cover six districts in two states, Nashik and Dhule in Maharashtra and four districts in Madhya Pradesh, adding about 309 km to the existing network of Indian Railways. Thirty new stations will be constructed along the route, improving connectivity to Barwani district. The new railway line will connect approx. 1,000 villages and serve about 30 lakh of population.

The project will provide a shorter route connecting the western and south-western parts of the country to central India. It will increase the number of tourists visiting various sites in the Ujjain-Indore region, including the Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple.

Additionally, the project will provide direct connectivity from the Pithampur auto cluster (home to 90 large units and 700 small and medium industries to JNPA's Gateway Port and other state ports. For the millet-producing districts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, it will also facilitate their distribution across northern and southern parts of the country.