MP longest rail tunnel excavation progresses steadily:100 metres dug in 2 months on 205 km Indore Budni line with tunnels 18 stations

Construction work has started on a new 205 km broad gauge railway line between Indore and Budhni in Madhya Pradesh. The project includes the state’s longest railway tunnel, which will be 8.64 km long, along with another tunnel of 1.24 km. So far, 100 metres of excavation work has been completed for the tunnel. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) is carrying out the construction work. As part of the project, two tunnels, 80 major bridges, 99 minor bridges, 138 road under bridges (RUBs), five road over bridges (ROBs), two long viaducts and 18 new railway stations will be built. Once completed, the new rail line will give a direct, shorter and faster train connection between Indore and Budhni. It will also reduce pressure on the busy Bhopal–Itarsi railway route. 100 meters of excavation for the state’s longest tunnel
Anil Saxena, Media Advisor for RVNL, stated that the 8.64 km long tunnel will be the longest tunnel in the state. Most of the area consists only of soil, making tunnel excavation a major challenge for us there. Cutting through rocks is not difficult, but when excavating in soil, we face challenges like collapsing earth and seepage from drain water. We started excavating Tunnel-2 two months ago. Due to the challenges, we are only able to excavate 1.1 meters per day. We hope to easily construct the 8.64 km tunnel. Will pass through Sehore, Dewas, Indore
The project envisages the construction of a new straight broad gauge rail corridor of approximately 198-205 km between Budni (on the Bhopal-Nagpur section) and Mangaliyagaon/Indore, which is one of the state’s major commercial and industrial centers. This alignment passes through Sehore, Dewas, and Indore districts, connecting several towns and rural areas. These areas have not been connected by rail to date. Junction to be built in Budhni, will connect to Mumbai-Delhi-Nagpur track
The Budhni-Indore new railway line will directly connect to the Mumbai, Delhi, and Nagpur lines. A junction will be built in Budhni. The new line will bypass the highly congested Bhopal-Itarsi section and Budhni-Barkheda Ghat section. As a result, there will be a significant reduction in distance and travel time, especially for routes connecting Indore to eastern and central Madhya Pradesh, including places like Jabalpur, Nagpur, and beyond. Route and Alignment
The railway line starts from Budni and will end near Indore (Mangaliyagaon), providing a shorter and more efficient rail link between central and western Madhya Pradesh. The alignment has been carefully planned to optimize gradients, reduce curvature, and accommodate future traffic growth for both passenger and freight operations. Key Engineering Features
The Indore-Budni project involves large and complex civil engineering works, including tunnels, bridges, and viaducts. Tunnel-2 will pass through the villages of Kamalapur, Thalghevaria, and Hatnora, which fall under Bagli, Kannod Tehsil, in Dewas district. Salim Ahmed, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of RVNL, said, “Successfully completing the first 100 meters of excavation for Tunnel-2 in such fragile and complex geological conditions is a commendable achievement by the RVNL team.” This milestone reflects our strong focus on safety, engineering excellence, and disciplined execution. Bridges, viaducts, 15 crossing stations will be built Main Engineering Challenges
• Diverse topography ranging from plains to rugged and hilly terrains Connectivity and Strategic Advantages Socio-Economic Impact The Indore-Budni rail corridor is expected to accelerate regional development, providing better access to markets, education, healthcare, and employment. During construction and operation, this project will create a large number of direct and indirect jobs and promote industrial, agricultural, and commercial development along the corridor.