Simhastha 2028: Indian Railways to build bypass lines at Nagda and Ujjain for Rs 600 crore

Ratlam Rail Division is speeding up its preparations for the upcoming Simhastha 2028 in Ujjain. To manage the massive crowd of devotees, the railway ministry has approved the construction of bypass lines at Nagda and Ujjain stations with an estimated investment of Rs 600 crore. These projects are designed to eliminate operational bottlenecks and ensure that trains do not get delayed due to engine reversal processes at busy junctions.

Key Details of the Nagda and Ujjain Railway Bypass Projects

The bypass projects are crucial for handling the expected rush of over one crore pilgrims during the mela. The Nagda bypass will be a 13.70 km line connecting Rohalkhurd to Bhatisuda, costing approximately Rs 390.36 crore. This will allow trains to skip Nagda station, saving nearly 30 to 120 minutes per train by removing the need for engine reversals. Similarly, the Ujjain bypass will connect Nikhidi and Chintaman Ganesh stations via an 8.60 km track costing Rs 189.04 crore.

• Nagda Bypass: 13.70 km long line to save engine reversal time.
• Ujjain Bypass: 8.60 km line connecting Nikhidi and Chintaman Ganesh.
• Goal: Completion within 18 months to be ready before Simhastha 2028.
• Crowd Management: Aimed at reducing congestion at Nagda and Ujjain Junctions.

Infrastructure Upgrades and Satellite Station Development

Apart from the bypass lines, several other development works are underway in the Ratlam division. The Ujjain main station is being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme at a cost of Rs 421 crore. Additionally, satellite stations like Vikram Nagar, Pingleshwar, and Pawasa are being upgraded to handle extra special trains. Automatic signaling systems are also planned for the Indore-Ujjain and Nagda-Bhopal sections to increase track capacity.