Bhopal. With the unprecedented pace of development of infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh, the state is rapidly moving in a new direction. The double engine government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav is giving a new dimension to the extensive expansion and development of roads in the state. The aim of the road projects going on at a large scale is not only to build roads and highways, but also to make the life of every citizen of the state simple and prosperous. Road projects worth about Rs 40 thousand crores by the Center will develop permanent infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh got the historic gift of 24 national highway projects worth Rs 10 thousand 405 crore in January this year. The foundation stone of these projects was laid and inaugurated in the programs organized in Bhopal and Jabalpur. The foundation stone of 15 national highway projects of 498 km length at a cost of Rs 8,038 crore has been laid in Bhopal and 9 projects of 226 km length at a cost of Rs 2,367 crore have been laid in Jabalpur. 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 the Mahakoshal region of the state, but will also benefit the coal industry of Katni, textile and wood craft industries of Budhni. Along with this, connectivity to tourist places like Khajuraho, Orchha will be easy and access to Pench Tiger Corridor will be facilitated. These National Highway projects of Madhya Pradesh will also facilitate commercial and civilian 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 led by 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 increase connectivity between major tourist destinations of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, thereby boosting 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 promote economic development in the state. This 6-lane greenfield highway will start from village Deori in Agra district and go up 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 also included in the 8 National High-Speed Road Corridor projects spread over a length of 936 km at 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 transport infrastructure of the country.
Madhya Pradesh has got 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 route from Bhopal to Vidisha, Vidisha to Gyaraspur, Sataighat to Chowka and Chowka to Kaimaha will be widened and strengthened. This project will improve traffic ease, reduce travel time, road safety will also improve. This upgrade will speed up the economic development of the state and promote business activities.
Approval has also been given to upgrade the 46 km long route between Mandla to 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. The Madhya Pradesh government had announced the Bundelkhand Vikas Path under its Sankalp Patra, which is an important 4-lane road project connecting the state capital Bhopal to Sagar and Chhatarpur districts of Bundelkhand. This project has also got the approval of the Central Government. The National Highway Authority (NHAI) was already working to expand this route into a 4-lane. Now it will be upgraded to 4-lane from Bhopal to Sagar via Chhatarpur and Uttar Pradesh border. This project will strengthen trade and connectivity in the areas of Bundelkhand and will add a new chapter to the development of Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh has received an important gift in the form of approval of road construction projects worth Rs 20 thousand crore, which will take the infrastructure of the state to new heights. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari announced this ambitious scheme in Bhopal, under which 27 projects have been approved with the objective of improving traffic and increasing road safety in the state. Under these projects, 1,228 km long roads will be developed, out of which 612 km will be constructed under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
