Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The 309-km-long Indore-Manmad new rail line project worth over Rs 18,000 crore has got a major boost with the railway ministry appointing a land acquisition officer and issuing orders for acquiring land of 23 villages in Mhow Tehsil of the district and 10 villages of Dhule Tehsil of Dhule district.

Since the project is being directly monitored by the Prime Minister’s Office, it is being estimated that the work would be completed at a fast pace. MP Shankar Lalwani informed here on Monday that the railway line between Indore and Manmad was a much-awaited project and now the work of acquiring land for it would start rapidly.

Sub divisional officer (revenue) Mhow has been appointed as land acquisition officer of Mhow Tehsil. Manoj Marathe, chief of Indore-Manmad Rail Struggle Committee and railway affairs expert Purnimesh Upadhyay said that after a long time, the ministry of railways issued an order on January 17 for the acquisition of lands of villages coming under the railway route passing through Indore and Dhule districts.

They said that the Central Railway sent a letter in this regard to the ministry of railways on January 14, seeking permission as well as appointment of an officer for land acquisition. As per the order issued on January 17, now the acquisition of land is required from villages including Khedi Istmurar, Chainpura, Kamadpur, Khudalpura, Kurada Khedi, Ahilyapur, Nanded, Jamli, Kelod, Berchha Khedi, Gawali Palasya, Ashapur, Maledi, and Kodaria.

Orders had been circulated for land acquisition up to Borkhedi, Chordiya, New Guradia and Mhow Cantt, they said. Marathe said that a similar order had also been issued on January 6 for the acquisition of land of 10 villages of Dhule Tehsil of Dhule district of Maharashtra.

It may be pointed out that the Indore-Manmad new railway line will give impetus to the development of tribal and aspirational districts of MP and will be the shortest rail line route from the city to Mumbai.

The Union Cabinet gave approval to this project on September 9 last year. It will cover six districts of MP and Maharashtra and 30 new railway stations will be built. A railway bridge will also be built on the Narmada in Khargone district.