Title - Khandwa-Mhow broad gauge – A five year project – 10,000 trees will be cut

It will take five years to convert Khandwa-Mhow broad gauge line to make it operational. Until now if you want to board a train for Indore from Khandwa, the option was meter gauge that runs between Khandwa and Mhow. From November 2016, first stage of work will start from Sanawad to Khandwa while the second stage can only be started in April 2017 from Sanawad to Mhow.

This also means that you will get train for Indore in 2022 from Khandwa from November 2016. The benefits of meter gauge conversion into broad gauge conversion is said to be many –

Firstly Indore will be closer by 22kms. Cities of south India like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and north Indian cities like Jaipur and Ajmer will be directly connected to each other.

Railway track between Indore and Mhow has been converted into broad gauge. Once the track is completed, the total length of the track will be 118kms, which will include 11.24 kms of tunnel.

The only minus point of this track seems deforestation of 130 hectare of land; this means a minimum of 10,000 tress will be cut. Clearance regarding the same is yet to get a nod from environment ministry but it is more of a formality.