Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 45 highway projects in Madhya Pradesh on 25 August 2020. The total road length covered under these projects is 1,361 km with a cumulative construction value of Rs 11,427 crore. 

 

The Union Minister laid the foundation stones for four-laning of Nanasa to Pidgaon from 95.000 km to 142.445 km part of Indore-Harda section of NH-47 (length - 47.445 km) worth Rs 866.64 crore to be executed by Nanasa-Pidgaon Road; four-laning of Harda to Temgaon from 0.000 km to 30.000 km  Harda-Betul section of NH-47 worth Rs 555 crore undertaken by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI); and four-laning of Chicholi to Belul from 81.00 km to 121.248 km of Harda-Betul section of NH-47 worth Rs 620.36 crore. These projects are all part of the Bharatmala Paiyojana.

 

The foundation stones were also laid for construction of four-lane ROB at 14.800 km (Jerai) on Katin-Beena section of NH-934 on EPC mode under Setu Bharatam worth Rs 77.26 crore; four-laning of Katni Bypass section of NH-30 (length - 20 km) worth Rs 194.4 crore; two-lane ROB at 36.800 km (Jarua) on Sagar-Khuraj-Bina section of NH-934 on EPC mode under Setu Bharatam worth Rs 66.49 crore; major bridge at Betwa river (436 mtr) at 81.2 km on NH-539 worth Rs 24.66 crore and reconstruction of six submersible/narrow/distressed bridges on Jabalpur-Dinori section of NH-45 extn worth Rs 26.02 crore. 

 

The development works also involve construction of a high-level bridge across Kshipra river at 20.2 km on Indore-Betul section of NH-47 on EPC mode worth Rs 9.36 crore and strengthening work in 1.550 km to 23 km of Indore-Betul road on NH-47 worth Rs 14.03 crore. 

 

The foundation stones were laid for Banmor-Shanichara Mandir road under CRIF scheme worth Rs 19.92 crore; Shanichara Mandir-Bateshwar Padavali Rithora road worth Rs 13.36 crore; Kheda Ajnoda Kutwar - Bichola Rithora road worth Rs 22.19 crore and Pichhore Dinara road to village Mijaura-Chanderi-Pichhor road via Chandu Pahadi, Manka, Kachhowa, Gadroli, Khurai, Jungipur, Bhitargawan, Manpur worth Rs 29.62 crore. These projects will be developed under CRIF scheme. 

 

In all, the foundation stones were laid for 19 projects carrying a total road length of 369 km entailing an investment of Rs 2,609 crore. 

 

The Union Minister also inaugurated various national highway projects. These include four-laning of Biaora-Pachore-Sarangpur-Shajapur-Makshi-Dewas section of NH-52 (length - 141.26 km) worth Rs 1,583.79 crore executed by Oriental Structural Engineers; four-laning of Jabalpur-Lakhnadon section of NH-30 and NH-34 (length - 80.82 km) worth Rs 1,244.43 crore; four-laning of Sleemnabad to Jabalpur section of NH-30 (Package-IV) worth Rs 1,035.15 crore; and four-laning of Nayagaon to Satanwarda of Gwalior-Shivpuri section of NH-46 (length - 97 km) worth Rs 1,055 crore. 

 

The Minister also inaugurated four-laning of Rewa to Maihar section of NH-30 (Package-I) worth Rs 1,032.29 crore; four-laning of Maihar to Katni and Katni to Sleemnabad section of NH-30 (Package-II) worth Rs 1,034.11 crore; two lane + PS from 81 km to 175 km of Sanchi-Sagar section of NH-146 on EPC mode worth Rs 287.34 crore; two lane + PS from 0.00 km to 36.71 km of Rewa-Sirmour section of NH-135B on EPC mode worth Rs 162.56 crore and two lane + PS from 131 km to 189.4 km of Sagar-Chattarpur section of NH-34 on EPC mode worth Rs 178.23 crore. 

 

Moreover, four-laning of Lalghati to Mubarakpur (Package-I) of Bhopal-Biaora section of NH-46 worth Rs 374.4 crore; balance work of two lane + PS of Bhopal-Sanchi section of NH-146 worth Rs 304.58 crore; Makoda-Chhimak-Bagwai-Kariyawati-Shankhni-Dhumeshwar-Badgaur road under CRIF scheme worth Rs 69.00 crore; two-lane ROB at Betoli fatak Ganj Basoda railway crossing no 288 in Vidisha district under CRIF scheme worth Rs 40.00 crore were also inaugurated. 

 

Overall, 19 projects with road length of 992 km worth Rs 8,818 crore were inaugurated. These roads will enhance connectivity, convenience and economic growth in the state. The movement of people and goods to and from the state will also improve substantially especially with the neighbouring states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, etc. 

 

The national highways in the state stand at 13,248 km at present, from 5,186 km in 2014. Development works worth over Rs 1,25,000 crore are underway. As much as 60 to 70 percent works have been completed on around Rs 30,000 crore road works. Development works worth Rs 50,000 crore are targeted for completion by 2023. 

 

Work has already started on the 1,260 km eight-lane access-controlled Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, of which 244 km eight-lane length will be constructed in Madhya Pradesh, pegged at Rs 8,214 crore. The work has already been awarded for the Madhya Pradesh section of this Expressway which will pass through Ramganj Mandi, Garoth, Jawra and Ratlam areas of Malwa region and Thandla (Jhabua). 

 

A 173 km long four-lane road will be developed to provide connectivity to the Malwa region from the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. This will pass through Indore, Dewas, Ujjain, Agar to Garoth, and the works will be awarded by December 2020. 

 

Apart from this, the Union Minister announced funds worth Rs 700 crore from the Central Road Fund (CRF) for the state to be utilised in the road sector, and Rs 350 crore worth of proposals from MPs of Madhya Pradesh for road works in their constituency.