Indian Railways has resumed the operation of the historic (155-year-old) Patalpani-Kalakund heritage train in Madhya Pradesh.
It is a 9.5-kilometre section on the Dr Ambedkar Nagar (formerly Mhow) to Khandwa route.
The line was proposed by Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar II, who ruled from 1844 to 1886.
In 1870, he offered a loan of Rs 1 crore for 101 years and free land to build the railway to Indore.
The princely state of Indore became a British protectorate under the Holkar dynasty in 1818, which created the need for railway development.
The Patalpani–Kalakund line is considered one of the six heritage lines of Indian Railways, but still awaits official certification from the Railway Board.
In 2008, the Union Cabinet has approved the conversion of the 472.64-kilometre Ratlam-Mhow-Khandwa-Akola corridor to Broad Gauge (BG).
Broad Gauge work on the Patalpani–Kalakund section was not possible due to geological difficulties.
Indian Railways later decided to restore this historic stretch for the heritage train operations.