Rowghat rail link: Tadoki-Rowghat and Abhanpur-Kurud lines opened
Why in the news
Indian Railways opened the Tadoki-Rowghat and Abhanpur-Kurud broad gauge lines in Chhattisgarh and flagged off new passenger services from Raipur, as reported on 20 October 2026. A train reached Rowghat for the first time since Independence.
Key facts
- New lines: Tadoki-Rowghat and Abhanpur-Kurud broad gauge sections.
- New trains: passenger services from Raipur to Rowghat and from Raipur to Kurud.
- Dalli-Rajhara-Rowghat line: 95 km long, completed at ₹1,628 crore; now fully operational after the 17.5-km Tadoki-Rowghat stretch opened.
- Leaders: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw joined by video conference; Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai attended in person.
- Raipur: foundation stone laid for an electric locomotive maintenance facility.
About the Dalli-Rajhara-Rowghat project
The line was first planned to carry iron ore from the Rowghat mines under a 2008 memorandum of understanding and is being built jointly by Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and Indian Railways. Passenger trains on the Dalli Rajhara-Tadoki part began in 2022. The project now aims to link remote parts of the Bastar region with the national rail network, helping trade, healthcare and education.
The minister also listed other works in the state: gauge conversion of the Kendi-Abhanpur-Rajim-Dhamtari section, the newly approved Pendra Road-Bilaspur-Uslapur third line and the Kharsia-Parmalkasa double line.
Exam angle
- Rowghat lies in the remote Bastar region of southern Chhattisgarh.
- Remember: 95 km line, ₹1,628 crore cost, 17.5-km final stretch.
- Note the SAIL and Indian Railways partnership for iron ore transport.