Rail network to reach Naxal-hit Bastar, location survey in concluding stage

Business Standard

2 days ago

A railway line in Naxal-affected Bastar in Chhattisgarh is on the verge of becoming a reality after the final location survey was conducted for the proposed 160-km railway track connecting the remote region in Chhattisgarh with Telangana.
This ambitious project will bring the Naxal-affected districts of Sukma, Dantewada and Bijapur into the railway network for the first time, officials said on Friday.
The final location survey for the proposed 160 km-long railway line from Kothagudem (Telangana) to Kirandul (Chhattisgarh) has entered its concluding stage.
The Indian Railways is conducting the survey using cutting-edge LiDAR technology, and the entire process is being closely monitored by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, given its immense significance for both national security and regional development, officials said.
With strong support from the Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai-led state government, the survey work has gained momentum once again.
The project aims to open new paths of education, healthcare, trade, and self-reliance for the people of Bastar.
The railway line will span three states -- Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh -- but the largest portion of over 138 km lies within Chhattisgarh, covering some of the most remote and underdeveloped tribal areas, they said.
While survey work has progressed rapidly in many sections, it has faced hurdles in Dantewada and Bijapur.
On June 9 this year, a survey team was stopped and assaulted by local villagers in Dantewada, halting work in a 26-km stretch in Dantewada and 35 km in Bijapur.
The incident was reported to the local administration, but the work remains incomplete in those parts.
Officials said only after the final location survey is completed can the Detailed Project Report (DPR) be prepared, which is essential to initiate construction.
This is why the Union government considers the project not merely a transport initiative but a strategic intervention for lasting peace and inclusive development in the region.
According to a letter dated June 26, 2025, from Railway Board Chairman and CEO Satish Kumar to the chief secretary of Chhattisgarh, the project is now at a decisive juncture.
The LiDAR survey, conducted via drones and aircraft, helps accurately map the terrain, including hills, rivers, and vegetation, ensuring a safe and precise alignment for the railway line. Once the survey is completed, Indian Railways will finalise the DPR and move toward laying tracks.
There have been concerns of local villagers, mostly tribal residents, about losing land or forests.
However, the Chhattisgarh government has assured that the railway will bring opportunities, not harm.
Instructions have already been issued to the collectors of Dantewada and Bijapur to fully support the survey teams, officials said.
The government considers the railway line not just as a development project, but also as a decisive step in eliminating Naxalism from the region, officials said.
For decades, large parts of Bastar have remained isolated from mainstream progress, becoming vulnerable to extremist ideologies.
The arrival of a railway will not only improve connectivity but also establish a permanent presence of governance, trust, and stability in these areas, which is why the Union Home Ministry is directly monitoring the project, officials said.
For farmers, the railway line will be a lifeline providing easy access to markets for their produce such as paddy, mahua, tendu leaves, and bamboo, ultimately boosting incomes and encouraging economic independence, they said.
Tribal communities, long cut off from the rest of the country, will gain access to schools, hospitals, and employment through a reliable transport network.
Besides, children will reach schools more safely and swiftly, patients will get medical help on time, and youth will find new pathways for jobs and skill training, officials said.