India, May 29 -- The Indian Railways has ordered an inquiry into the alignment of a railway line between Panna and Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, terming it "dangerous, as it had six sharp turns", officials aware of the matter said on Thursday, adding that a new route is under planning stage.

According to officials, the inquiry will identify individuals responsible for "significant" environmental loss-54,578 trees were cut to begin construction of the proposed railway line-and planning missteps that occurred before the project received forest approval.

The Khajuraho-Panna rail link, costing about Rs.2,100 crore, was approved in 2021, and in 2025, the railways said the construction would start soon. In the first phase, a 16 km stretch from...