Better Roads Powering a New Madhya Pradesh: Rebuilding the Future

In Madhya Pradesh today, development is not confined to files or announcements; it is visible on highways stretching across fields, forests, temple towns and industrial belts. These roads are transforming everyday life — enabling faster movement of goods, safer travel, new job access, and better opportunities for farmers, youth and pilgrims alike.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav share a firm belief that roads shape the destiny of a state. Better highways attract investment, generate employment and convert aspiration into reality. Over the past decade, Madhya Pradesh has emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries of India’s highway expansion, with new corridors, bypasses and expressways knitting the state into a seamless network. Cities like Jabalpur are now evolving into logistics and tourism hubs, opening markets, boosting trade and improving connectivity to key destinations.

Good roads reduce travel time, cut transport costs and open space for new investments such as cold chains, agro-processing units and logistics parks. For farmers, this means fresher produce reaching faraway markets and better returns. The state’s vision also aligns with India’s broader goal of becoming energy-secure and self-reliant. Crop residue is being explored for conversion into ethanol, biofuels and sustainable energy, turning waste into revenue and jobs while reducing pollution. Coal conversion to methanol-powered transport further strengthens energy diversification.

Alongside smart cities, equal focus is placed on smart villages. Water storage ponds created along highways support irrigation, improve groundwater and enhance agricultural prosperity. Better connectivity and irrigation together reduce distress migration and create opportunities near home.

Major expressways, improved intercity travel times and robust infrastructure are lifting industries, businesses and tourism. The proposed tiger circuit and ropeway projects will improve visitor experience and strengthen conservation-linked livelihoods.

This progress is anchored by accountability, environmental care and citizen participation, with emphasis on maintenance, technology-enabled monitoring and eco-conscious construction. The result is a perceptible shift in how Madhya Pradesh is viewed — from a landlocked agricultural state to a rising economic and mobility hub.

The true measure of this transformation will be in everyday lives: faster access to hospitals, education, markets and employment. As travel becomes safer and faster, these “happiness highways” are paving the way for a more connected, confident and prosperous Madhya Pradesh.

Past Two Years’ Progress & Achievements

In 2024–25, Madhya Pradesh completed road construction of nearly 10,000 km with an expenditure of `17,284 crore, while 739 buildings were built at a cost of `6,627 crore. Major projects include the 7 km Jabalpur Elevated Corridor costing `1,228 crore, the Ambedkar Flyover in Bhopal, and the `305-crore Shyama Prasad Mukherjee 6-lane road. Under the Narmada Expressway, industrial layouts were developed in Gwalior and Rewa. A medical college in Sagar was completed at `888 crore, along with 136 medical colleges statewide and upgrades to 177 health centres. Urban mobility improved with major elevated corridors in Gwalior, Indore, Bhopal and Narmadapuram.

From Public Works to Public Welfare

Total Road Length under PWD: 77,268 km

(Connecting urban, semi-urban & rural economies to mainstream connectivity)

Type of Road Length (km)

National Highways (NH) 9,278 km

State Highways (SH) 10,465 km

Major District Roads (MDR) 22,517 km

Other District & Rural Roads 35,008 km

EXPANSION & UPGRADATION

* Four-Lane roads / External Roads: ~ 6,000 km

* Double-Lane Roads: ~ 13,000 km

* Continuous improvement in design, build quality, safety, capacity & efficiency 

Ropeway & Future Mobility

To ease traffic congestion, enhance public convenience, and boost tourism, the Government of Madhya Pradesh has signed an MoU with National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML) for ropeway development at four key locations in the state:

* Ujjain Railway Station to Mahakaal Temple

* Tikitoria Mata Temple, Sagar Ropeway

* Jabalpur Empire Stadium to Gurdwara

* Jabalpur Civic Center to Baldev Bagh

Expressway Projects (Roadmap for three years)

Project Length (km) Cost (` Crore)

Narmada Expressway 867 5,299

Vindhya Expressway 676 3,809

Malwa–Nimar Expressway 450 7,972

Bundelkhand Expressway 330 3,357

Madhya Bharat Expressway 746 3,819

Atal Expressway 299 12,227

Highway Strength

* Total National Highway length in MP: 9,315 km (4,740 km already turned to four-lane highways)

* 3,050 km of the remaining 4,575 km of highways are under planning for a four-lane upgrade

Additional Infrastructure & Key Projects

Rail Overbridges

* 111 new ROBs under construction Cost: `3,903 crore

Expressways & Major Corridors

* Ujjain–Jawra Expressway: `5,017 crore

* Indore–Ujjain 4-Lane upgraded to 6-Lane: `1,692 crore

* Indore–Ujjain Greenfield Expressway: `2,935 crore

* 55 National Highways spanning 989 km are being

constructed: Rs 14,918 crore

Rs 1 Lakh Crore MoU with NHAI

Rs 28,000 crore projects planned, including:

Agra–Gwalior (`4,613 cr), Betul–Khandawa-Khargone-Julwania (`4,992 cr), Rewa-Silikhand (`1,500 cr), Sandalpur-Nasurullaganj Bypass (`1,425 cr), Gwalior City Western Bypass (`1,226 cr), Sagar Bypass four-lane (`785 cr), Ayodhya Nagar Bypass (`1,050 cr), Ujjain-Jhalawad Section (`2,232 cr), Indore Ring Road (`6,500 cr), Jabalpur-Damoh Section (`2,000 cr)

Ujjain simhastha-2028

* Works across 64 projects 4Cost: Rs 13,274 crore

Road Network Master Plan – Key Focus

Madhya Pradesh’s Road Network Master Plan focuses on upgrading urban and panchayat roads and district highways to two lanes, maintaining state highways and MDRs in good condition, and standardising city roads with footpaths and public facilities. Inter-district and rural corridors, peri-urban mobility routes and strengthened NH and rail connectivity form key priorities, along with expressway links toward Gujarat. Projects aligned with PM Gati Shakti aim to reduce travel distances by 20–30 percent, with Phase-1 completion targeted by 2028 and full rollout by 2047. Meanwhile, NHAI is developing 1,008 km of new highways worth `33,100 crore, alongside several major expressway and bypass projects.

Tiger Corridor – Landmark Initiative

A Tiger Corridor will be developed around five forest reserves near Jabalpur in collaboration with NHAI to enhance connectivity. It will be India’s first state-level multi-national park tiger corridor with wildlife-safe design, balancing tiger movement, tourism, and local connectivity, boosting eco-tourism and economy, with planning done via the PM Gati Shakti portal.