Bhopal
With the unprecedented pace of infrastructure development in Madhya Pradesh, the state is moving rapidly in a new direction. Due to the double engine government of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, the extensive expansion and development of roads in the state is getting a new dimension. The ongoing large-scale road projects are aimed not only at constructing roads and highways but also at simplifying and enriching the lives of every citizen of the state. Road projects worth about Rs 40 thousand crore by the Center will develop permanent infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh got the historic gift of 24 National Highway projects worth Rs 10,405 crore in the month of January this year. The foundation stone of these projects was laid and inaugurated in programs organized in Bhopal and Jabalpur. The foundation stone of 15 498 km long National Highway projects at a cost of Rs 8,038 crore has been laid in Bhopal and 9 projects of 226 km length have been laid in Jabalpur at a cost of Rs 2,367 crore. These projects include six-lane expansion of NH-46, four-lane expansion of NH-146B and several two-lane road construction works, which will provide connectivity to various areas of the state.
The newly approved National Highway projects will not only boost the agricultural trade of Mahakoshal region of the state, but will also benefit the coal industry of Katni, textile and wood craft industries of Budhni. With this, connectivity to tourist places like Khajuraho, Orchha will be easy and it will be convenient to reach Pench Tiger Corridor. These National Highway projects of Madhya Pradesh will also facilitate commercial and civil traffic with neighboring states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi, which will also contribute to the economic and cultural development of the state.
The Union Cabinet under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi approved the 6-lane Agra-Gwalior National High-Speed Corridor project. This 88 km long high-speed corridor will be developed on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) mode at a cost of Rs 4,613 crore, which will reduce the travel time between Agra and Gwalior by about 50%. This project will not only double the traffic capacity of the existing 4-lane National Highway, but will also enhance connectivity between major tourist destinations of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, thereby giving a boost to the tourism industry.
Madhya Pradesh will benefit from this high-speed corridor project on a large scale. This project, approved under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi, will improve the efficiency of logistics, reduce congestion and encourage economic development in the state. This 6-lane greenfield highway will start from village Deori in Agra district to village Susra in Gwalior district, connecting Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The project also includes overlay and other road improvement works on the existing Agra-Gwalior section of NH – 44. This corridor is one of the 8 National High-Speed Road Corridor projects spanning a length of 936 kilometers with a total capital cost of Rs 50,655 crore under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, which is an important effort to strengthen and enable the country’s transportation infrastructure. .
Madhya Pradesh has received another big gift in the direction of road development, in which Rs 3589.4 crore has been approved to upgrade the Bhopal-Kanpur Economic Corridor to 4-lane. In this project, the road from Bhopal to Vidisha, Vidisha to Gyaraspur, Sataighat to Chowka and Chowka to Kaimah will be widened and strengthened. This project will improve traffic ease, reduce travel time, and also improve road safety. This upgradation will speed up the economic development of the state and boost business activities.
Approval has also been given to upgrade the 46 km long route between Mandla and Nainpur at a cost of Rs 592 crore. With the completion of this project, traffic between Mandla and Nainpur will become more safe and efficient, which will directly benefit the local people.
These projects are an important step towards strengthening the road network in the state. Madhya Pradesh government, under its resolution, had announced Bundelkhand Vikas Path, an important 4-lane road project connecting the state capital Bhopal with Sagar and Chhatarpur districts of Bundelkhand. This project has also got the approval of the Central Government. Work to expand this route to 4-lane was already underway by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Now it will be upgraded to 4-lane from Bhopal via Sagar to Chhatarpur and Uttar Pradesh border. This project will strengthen trade and connectivity in the areas of Bundelkhand and will add a new chapter in the development of Madhya Pradesh.
