New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the development of a 4-lane corridor on the Badnawar-Petlawad-Thandla-Timarwani section of National Highway-752D, which stretches across a length of 80.45 kilometres with a total capital cost of Rs 3,839.42 crore.
The approved corridor will provide connectivity from Ujjain to the Timrawani interchange on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. The primary purpose of the proposed four-lane project corridor is to improve travel efficiency with a reduction in travel time by about one hour.
The 70.40 km Ujjain–Badnawar section has already been upgraded from 2-lane to 4-lane. The Badnawar–Timrawani stretch is an existing intermediate lane (5.5m) with poor geometry, with a speed of a mere 20-50 kmph. Upgrading this section will complete the direct 4-lane connectivity from Ujjain to Timrawani interchange on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (DME) with a speed of 80-100 kmph.
The Timarwani–Thandla–Petlawad–Badnawar–Ujjain corridor is the shortest route for traffic from Gujarat and Maharashtra to Ujjain. The upgradation of the Timarwani–Badnawar section will strengthen inter-state connectivity and enable efficient movement of traffic, and would also take care of the surge in traffic during the Simhastha Kumbh Mela in April 2028.
The Badnawar-Petlawad Thandla-Timarwani section traverses through the tribal regions of Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar & Jhabua districts. Parts of Dhar are covered under the Aspirational Blocks Programme of NITI Aayog. The upgradation of the section will provide direct and faster access from the Ujjian-Badnawar–Timarwani corridor to the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway. This improved linkage will reduce logistics costs, facilitate efficient movement of raw materials & finished goods and strengthen access to industrial hubs, situated at Indore, Pithampur, Ujjain, and Dewas.
The proposed project provides high-speed connectivity designed for improved safety and uninterrupted traffic movement, reducing travel time, congestion, and operating costs. Importantly, the project will enhance the basic infrastructure in the region, contributing to the overall economic development of Dhar and Jhabua districts, the statement added.
(IANS)
