PM Gati Shakti: Centre Approves Rs 2,223 Crore Gondia–Dongargarh Rail Expansion

The Union government has approved a Rs 2,223 crore project to build a fourth rail track between Gondia and Dongargarh, an 84-kilometre stretch that passes through Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district.

The project, sanctioned under the PM Gati Shakti programme, aims to boost regional connectivity, improve freight movement, and promote tourism in the region.

It is among several multi-tracking projects cleared this year, adding nearly 894 kilometres of new rail lines across the country.

Officials said the new line will help decongest one of the busiest freight routes in central India and ensure smoother traffic between Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and eastern India, reported The Times of India.

The Gondia–Dongargarh section is part of the Howrah–Mumbai route, which carries both passenger and heavy goods traffic.Railway authorities said the fourth line would significantly reduce delays and enhance capacity, particularly for industrial freight and mineral transport.

The project also aims to improve access to pilgrimage and tourist destinations in the region, including Dongargarh’s Maa Bambleshwari temple and other nearby sites.

The Ministry of Railways said the initiative is part of a broader push to modernise railway infrastructure under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which integrates transport networks across the country to support economic growth.