India’s Cabinet approved a major multi‑tracking initiative, including the long‑awaited 297 km Itarsi–Nagpur fourth rail line, priced at approximately ₹5,451 crore. This project is part of a broader ₹11,169 crore rail expansion across six states, aligning with national transportation modernisation plans.
Spanning across districts in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, the new line is designed to carry additional 10 million tonnes of cargo annually, while reducing national logistics expenditure by roughly ₹1,206 crore. The infrastructure will include 37 stations, 451 bridges (major and minor), four tunnels, along with road and rail over‑ and under‑bridges to improve route fluidity. According to the government, CO₂ emissions savings from the project are equivalent to planting 20 crore trees, reinforcing its environmental rationale.
Strategically located on the high-density Delhi–Chennai corridor, the corridor serves key industrial and logistic nodes—such as the Nagpur MIHAN cargo hub, power plants in Sarni and Koradi, and emerging manufacturing clusters along the route. The added capacity is expected to relieve overutilised sections, especially the steep “ghat” stretch prone to frequent delays.
The expansion forms a core part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and the infrastructure pipeline, emphasising multimodal connectivity and logistics streamlining. By increasing track capacity and enabling faster freight turnaround, the new corridor is poised to strengthen India’s steel, cement, coal, and agricultural supply chains—while supporting regional economic growth and sustainability goals.
