RVNL Advances Indore–Budni Rail Project with Tunnel Breakthrough in Madhya Pradesh
The project involves construction of two tunnels, including an 8.64 km-long Tunnel-2, which will be the longest railway tunnel in central India, along with a 1.156 km Tunnel-1.
Milestone to support 68 km shorter route between Indore and Jabalpur, easing congestion on key corridor
New Delhi: Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Navratna PSU driving large-scale railway infrastructure projects in India, has achieved a key milestone in the Indore–Budni new railway line project with significant progress in tunnel construction.
The company has completed 500 metres of underground excavation in Tunnel-2, the main tunnel, and 100 metres in Tunnel-1, marking steady advancement in one of central India’s critical rail connectivity projects.
The project involves construction of two tunnels, including an 8.64 km-long Tunnel-2, which will be the longest railway tunnel in central India, along with a 1.156 km Tunnel-1. An additional parallel escape tunnel of 8.64 km is also being developed to enhance passenger safety in line with railway standards.
The project also includes three major viaducts spanning 2,340 metres, 7,450 metres, and 800 metres, respectively, across challenging terrain in Madhya Pradesh.
Once completed, the new railway line is expected to reduce the travel distance between Indore and Jabalpur by approximately 68 km, providing faster and more efficient connectivity. The line will also bypass the congested Bhopal–Itarsi corridor and the difficult Budni–Berkheda ghat section, improving operational efficiency across the network.
The project is expected to enhance connectivity for towns across Indore, Dewas and Sehore districts, while easing bottlenecks for trains moving towards Mumbai, Delhi and southern India, thereby supporting regional economic development.
RVNL said the tunnelling work is being executed using advanced construction techniques such as the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), supported by modern equipment and strict safety protocols to address complex geological and hydrological conditions.
“This milestone reflects the dedication, technical expertise, and perseverance of our engineers, geologists, and workforce, who have been working tirelessly under challenging conditions,” said Saleem Ahmad, Chairman and Managing Director of RVNL.
He added that the progress reinforces confidence in timely completion of the tunnels and the overall project, while maintaining high standards of safety, quality and environmental sustainability.
RVNL, established to accelerate railway infrastructure development, has executed over 157 projects covering more than 17,000 km and continues to expand into metro and global infrastructure projects, positioning itself as a key player in India’s infrastructure growth story.
