Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh is set to significantly boost its road connectivity with the proposed construction of five new greenfield highways spanning 1,398 kilometres at an estimated cost of Rs 63,296 crore, IANS reported on Thursday (November 5). The four-lane, access-controlled corridors will create entirely new routes with designated entry and exit points, offering faster travel across key regions of the state.

Source: IANS

The proposed corridors are the 258-km Bhopal-Mandsaur highway, the 227-km Sagar-Satna stretch, the 358-km Jabalpur-Ashapur route, the 320-km Bhopal-Gwalior corridor, and the 235-km Katni-Singrauli highway. Together, they are designed to link major cities and economic hubs while reducing congestion on existing roads, Nation Press reported in its detailed account of the board meeting.

Source: Nation Press

The projects are currently in the preparatory stage. Consultants are preparing feasibility reports and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the Bhopal-Mandsaur, Sagar-Satna, and Jabalpur-Ashapur corridors, with multiple alignment options under evaluation, and the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC) will select the most suitable alignments. For the remaining two corridors, Bhopal-Gwalior and Katni-Singrauli, the tender process to appoint DPR consultants is already underway.

Source: IANS

The Board of Directors has approved the preparation of feasibility reports for all five projects, with full DPRs to follow only if each project is found viable. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who chaired the 49th board meeting at Samatva Bhavan on Thursday, directed officials to accelerate ongoing road construction works and ensure better inter-departmental coordination to expedite the new greenfield projects. No construction timeline has been announced yet.

Source: Nation Press

Among the board's other decisions, the state's 'Highway Fund' was renamed 'Viksit Madhya Pradesh Sankalp Path', 100 per cent equity divestment in the Jaora-Nayagaon four-lane project was approved, and new posts of two Chief Engineers, three General Managers and five Deputy General Managers were sanctioned for the Corporation. A proposal to exempt combine harvesters used for agricultural operations from toll charges at the Corporation's plazas was also cleared, along with approvals for acquiring the PAM (Public Asset Management) Building in Arera Hills, appointing an independent director, and transferring ownership of various road projects to the Corporation.

Source: IANS