The Union Cabinet has approved a 131-km Kasara-Manmad rail project that will include India’s second-longest railway tunnel, a 24 km stretch through the ghat section. The project is part of the plan to quadruple the Mumbai-Howrah high-density corridor and separate passenger and freight traffic.

Why this project matters

>> Connects Mumbai to northern and eastern India
>> Removes bottlenecks in steep ghat section
>> Eliminates the need for banker engines
>> Cuts travel time and improves reliability