Dahod: The Dahod–Indore New Broad Gauge Rail Line Project, considered crucial for Dahod district, is steadily moving towards completion. Included under the Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Yojana, the ₹1,870-crore project receives adequate annual budgetary support from the Central Government, enabling work to progress at a rapid pace. The civil work of the 2.9-km-long Tihi Tunnel, the most technically challenging component of the project, was completed a few months ago.

Recently, Western Railway Chief Administrative Officer (Construction) Vinint Gupta and Chief Engineer Dhiraj Kumar inspected the Tihi Tunnel and the Pithampur–Dhar section of the project. Officials directed that both the tunnel and the Pithampur–Dhar stretch must be ready for a trial run by March 2026 without any delay. Track laying inside the tunnel has been completed, while overhead electrification, signalling and cable-laying work is progressing simultaneously to save time. The overbridge connected to the tunnel is also in the final stage of construction.

Platform work at Sangor, Pithampur and Gunavad stations between Tihi and Dhar has been completed, with finishing work currently underway. This section is being developed as part of the Indore–Pithampur–Mumbai freight corridor, with a strong focus on freight movement. Sangor station has three tracks—two for passenger trains and one dedicated freight line. Once operational, the new route will reduce the Indore–Mumbai distance from 829 km to 774 km, significantly cutting travel time and logistics costs.

Work on the Tihi Tunnel has been underway for nearly six years and was originally targeted for completion by 2024 but faced delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic and technical challenges. Meanwhile, track laying in the Indore–Pithampur section is 100 per cent complete. The 16-km Dahod–Katwara section, including Katwara station, has also seen track completion, with a successful diesel-engine trial run already conducted; electrification and signalling work is pending.

Most structures between Katwara and Jhabua are nearing completion, while land acquisition between Jhabua and Dhar has been completed and construction has begun. Approved in 1989 and inaugurated in 2008, the long-delayed project has gained fresh momentum since 2022 and is now expected to become fully operational within the next one to two years, providing a vital alternative rail route between Indore and Mumbai. DeshGujarat