Katni is a city and municipal corporation in the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Katni district, which was carved out of Jabalpur district. The city is an important railway junction on the Indian Railways network and is a notable centre for the mining and processing of limestone, dolomite, bauxite and decorative stone, particularly the marble for which the surrounding region is widely known.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| District | Katni |
| Region | Mahakoshal |
| Civic body | Katni Municipal Corporation |
| Languages | Hindi, Bagheli |
| Known for | Railway junction, limestone and marble industry |
Katni lies in the north-eastern part of Madhya Pradesh, on the Katni River, a tributary of the Mahanadi system in this region. The terrain is part of the Vindhyan plateau and is rich in mineral deposits, especially limestone, which has shaped the local economy. The surrounding district shares boundaries with Jabalpur, Umaria, Satna, Panna and Damoh districts.
Historically, Katni was also referred to as Murwara, and the older municipality was known as Murwara-Katni. The area formed part of the Mahakoshal region and lay within the historical zone influenced by the Kalachuri and later the Gond rulers, before passing under Maratha and subsequently British administration as part of the Central Provinces. With the construction of the railway in the colonial period, the settlement grew rapidly into a junction town.
The city is administered by the Katni Municipal Corporation (Nagar Nigam Katni). Katni district was constituted as a separate administrative unit, with Katni city as the district headquarters, after being separated from Jabalpur district. The district is part of the Jabalpur revenue division.
Katni is one of the principal railway junctions in central India. The city has multiple stations, including Katni Junction (station code KTE) and Katni Murwara (KMZ), and lies on the West Central Railway zone. It functions as a meeting point of major routes connecting Mumbai, Howrah, Allahabad (Prayagraj), Bilaspur and Jabalpur, making it strategically important for both passenger and freight movement, particularly for coal and mineral traffic.
National highways passing through or near Katni link it with Jabalpur, Rewa, Satna and Umaria, integrating the city with the wider road network of Madhya Pradesh.
The economy of Katni is dominated by mineral-based industries. The region is among the leading producers of limestone in India, supporting a number of cement plants and lime kilns in and around the district. Katni is also widely known for its decorative marble and dolomite, and for bauxite mining. Trade in agricultural produce, timber and forest products from the surrounding belt also contributes to the local economy, alongside the railway-linked logistics sector.
Hindi is the principal language of administration and communication, while Bagheli, a dialect of the Bagelkhand region, is widely spoken in everyday use. The population is religiously diverse, with a Hindu majority and significant Muslim, Jain and Christian communities.
Sites of interest in and around Katni include the Vijayraghavgarh Fort, associated with the local Gond and later princely history, and several temples and water bodies within the city. The wider district contains forested tracts and is within reach of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in neighbouring Umaria district, a major wildlife destination.
Katni hosts a range of government and private schools affiliated to the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education and the Central Board of Secondary Education, along with degree colleges affiliated to universities in Madhya Pradesh offering arts, science, commerce and professional courses.