RAILWAY: GWALIOR-CHAMBAL REGION TO GAIN NEW MOMENTUM WITH STRENGTHENED RAIL CONNECTIVITY

(Ashwini Vaishnaw Inaugurates Kailaras-Sabalgarh-Birpur Gauge-Converted Rail Section; Flags Off Gwalior-Kailaras Train Extension to Birpur)

TTT NEWS NETWORK

NEW DELHI | 18 AUGUST 2026

Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology,  Ashwini Vaishnaw, along with  Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, and Dr. Mohan Yadav, Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh, virtually inaugurated the gauge-converted Kailaras-Sabalgarh-Birpur rail section in Madhya Pradesh. They also flagged off the extension of the Gwalior-Kailaras train up to Birpur through video conferencing today.

The extension of the Gwalior-Kailaras train service up to Birpur will provide direct rail connectivity to Birpur, Vijaypur and Sabalgarh with Gwalior, offering more affordable and convenient travel options for passengers from rural and tribal areas. It will improve access to Gwalior for education, healthcare and employment opportunities, while also giving a boost to local trade and regional economic activities in the area.

In his address, Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the inauguration of the gauge-converted 56-km Kailaras-Birpur section is a significant milestone for the Gwalior-Chambal region. He said the project had become a reality through the collective efforts of all stakeholders. Shri Vaishnaw added that residents of more than 100 villages in Bamor, Joura, Kailaras and Sabalgarh tehsils of Morena district, and Birpur, Sheopur and Karahal tehsils of Sheopur district, will benefit from this gauge conversion.

Shri Vaishnaw highlighted that the connectivity would be further extended to Sheopur Kalan and ultimately to Kota, which would connect the region with major educational and industrial centres. He said the project had been accorded priority and that work on the 117-km Birlanagar-Birpur section had progressed rapidly in recent years. He outlined the commissioning of successive sections of the region.

Shri Vaishnaw mentioned that the work on the next section from Birpur to Seroni Road (37 km) and from Seroni Road to Sheopur Kalan (33 km) is almost complete. He expressed hope that the entire Gwalior-Sheopur Kalan railway line would be completed and made available to the people within the next few months. Shri Vaishnaw said the project would provide connectivity to several important stations and contribute to the development of rail infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh.

Highlighting the scale of railway development in Madhya Pradesh, Shri Vaishnaw said that the railway budget for the State had increased significantly from ₹632 crore (2009-14) to ₹15,188 crore in 2026-27, about 24 times. He said that railway projects worth around ₹1.55 lakh crore are currently underway in Madhya Pradesh. He also highlighted 80 stations are being redeveloped in the state, the operation of five Vande Bharat trains connecting the State and introduction of seven Amrit Bharat trains.

Shri Vaishnaw said several major new projects had also been taken up in Madhya Pradesh, including the Manmad-Indore new line and multiple third and fourth-line projects across the State. He said projects connected with Madhya Pradesh approved during the third term of the incumbent Government amounted to around ₹64,512 crore.

Shri Vaishnaw also highlighted that since 2014, more than 5.54 lakh people had been recruited in Indian Railways. Further, he said railway electrification and modernisation were key priorities of the Government. He said electrification had reduced the dependence of Indian Railways on diesel and helped reduce expenditure on imported fuel.

Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia said that it is a historic day for the Gwalior-Chambal region and described the extension of the railway line from Kailaras to Birpur as a new beginning for the region. He said that the journey, which had earlier reached Gwalior, Bamore, Sumaoli, Joura and Kailaras, is now being extended to Birpur and would further reach Sheopur and, ultimately, Kota.

Dr. Mohan Yadav mentioned that the expansion of the railway network in Madhya Pradesh, including the Indore-Manmad new line, would open new routes and strengthen connectivity between the Gwalior-Chambal region and Malwa. He added that the project would contribute to the development of a new industrial belt and benefit tourism and other economic activities.

Dr. Yadav emphasized that railway connectivity is essential for the development of industries and employment. He highlighted the potential of the Gwalior-Chambal region in sectors such as battery energy storage, footwear, hydrogen manufacturing and tourism, and said improved rail connectivity would support these emerging sectors. Dr. Yadav said that the extension of rail connectivity from Gwalior towards Shivpuri and Sheopur would create a new dimension of development for Gwalior and the wider region.