On Thursday, the Road Transport and Highways Ministry approved the inclusion of MP’s Atal Progress-Way project in the Centre’s Bharatmala Pariyojana phase 1. The new expressway will be 404 kilometres in length in the state of Madhya Pradesh and pass through the districts of Bhind, Morena and Sheopur of the Chambal region and connect the city of Jhansi, UP in the east and Kota, Rajasthan in the west, MP PWD Principal Secretary Neeraj Mandloi was quoted saying in a PTI report. The expressway project, worth Rs 7,000 crore is expected to boost the development of the Gwalior and Chambal divisions of MP. The Modi government’s Bharatmala Pariyojana is a new umbrella programme for the development of the highways sector.
According to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Atal Progress-Way would prove to be a lifeline for Chambal and Gwalior divisions’ development. An industrial corridor will be built around this 404 kilometre long expressway which will become a crucial link in the economic development of the region. The new route from the city of Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh to Kota in Rajasthan will benefit three districts of MP. Between these two points, the distance will save about 50 kilometres and the travel time will also be reduced from 11 hours to just six hours. Besides, along the expressway, industrial areas will be developed.
The state government of Madhya Pradesh has made preparations to invite investment in industrial, commercial, as well as various activities for the expressway to be constructed on the banks of the river Chambal. The area to be utilized in the expressway project has been made available by the MP government at its own expense. Madhya Pradesh PWD Minister Gopal Bhargava was quoted saying that tenders for this infra project would be floated very soon. The expressway project is being developed by NHAI and its detailed project report (DPR) was prepared by the Madhya Pradesh state government in four months’ time and presented to the Central government.