Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Jobat-Tanda Road rail section on September 8, 2026, marking a historic milestone for Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district as part of the larger Chhota Udepur-Dhar railway project. This launch brings direct train services to the region for the very first time. Key highlights of this major infrastructure development include the virtual inauguration of a 28-kilometer rail segment, the flagging off of the first passenger train service into Dhar district, a new daily 12-coach MEMU train service between Vadodara Pratap Nagar and Tanda Road, and the foundation stone laying for new third and fourth rail lines between Vadodara, Gujarat and Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh. Prime Minister Modi carried out these inaugurations during an official event held in Vadodara, following formal approval from the Commissioner of Railway Safety.
Mukesh Kumar, Public Relations Officer for the Ratlam Division of Western Railway, confirmed that the newly introduced 12-coach MEMU train will operate daily between
Vadodara’s Pratap Nagar station and Tanda Road. This vital development establishes a direct and seamless rail link connecting Dhar, Alirajpur, Jobat, and Tanda Road with neighboring Gujarat. Government officials anticipate that this connectivity will significantly boost local trade, promote tourism, create new employment opportunities, and uplift the overall economy of the tribal belt. Union Minister Savitri Thakur also expressed her gratitude to the Prime Minister, emphasizing that the new train service will accelerate regional development for local residents who previously lacked direct rail access.
The ambitious Chhota Udepur-Dhar project was originally envisioned to span approximately
157 kilometers. Its foundation stone was initially laid by then-Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in Jhabua on
February 8, 2008. As part of this ongoing infrastructure push, the 16-kilometer Dekakund-to-Tanda Road section was successfully constructed at a cost of approximately
435 crore rupees. While the total sanctioned cost for the entire project stands at
1,447.26 crore rupees—with some financial estimates placing total investments as high as
3,900 crore rupees—railway authorities have set the target for full project completion by
December 2027. Additionally, officials noted that the parallel Indore-Dahod broad-gauge project, which was also initiated back in 2008, is currently in its final stages, though its completion has faced slight delays due to ongoing and complex tunnel construction work.
