Cabinet approves INR 4,415 crore upgrade of 233 km NH-347B in Madhya Pradesh
New Delhi [India], June 3 (HBTV): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the upgradation of the existing intermediate lane to a two-lane road with paved shoulder standards along the 125.01-km Hiwarkhedi-Roshni-Ashapur-Rudhy section of NH-347B and the widening of the existing two-lane Deshgaon-Julwaniya section to a four-lane highway over 108.643 km in Madhya Pradesh under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at a cost of INR 4,415.60 crore.
According to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, the proposed upgradation of the Hiwarkhedi-Roshni-Ashapur-Rudhy and Deshgaon-Julwaniya sections of NH-347B will address severe geometric deficiencies, sharp curves, and congestion in built-up areas across Betul, Khandwa, Khargone, and Barwani districts.
An extended Greenfield bypass of 16.20 km in Khargone district will be developed as part of the project.
The project is expected to increase average travel speeds, reduce travel time, and improve road safety, fuel efficiency, and vehicle operating costs, thereby enhancing regional mobility and supporting socio-economic development.
The upgraded corridor will provide seamless connectivity to key economic, social, and logistics hubs across Madhya Pradesh.
The corridor will strengthen multi-modal integration by connecting six PM Gati Shakti economic nodes, including one textile cluster, two mega food parks, one industrial park, and two super thermal power plants. It will also connect five social nodes, comprising two aspirational districts—Khandwa and Barwani—and three tribal districts—Betul, Khandwa, and Khargone. In addition, the project will link five logistics nodes, including two major railway stations, two airports, and one Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP), facilitating faster movement of goods and passengers across the region.
Spanning a total length of 233.653 km along the Betul-Khandwa-Vadodara corridor, the project aims to improve regional connectivity and support economic growth in the state.
The project comprises two major components. The first involves upgrading the 125.01-km Hiwarkhedi-Roshni-Ashapur-Rudhy section to a two-lane road with paved shoulders. The second focuses on widening the 108.643-km Deshgaon-Julwaniya section from two lanes to four lanes. The entire project will be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode.
The total capital cost is estimated at INR 4,415.60 crore, including a civil construction cost of INR 2,705.08 crore and land acquisition expenses of INR 432.77 crore.
To ensure smoother traffic flow and reduce congestion, the project includes bypasses totalling 70.39 km on the Hiwarkhedi section and 54.273 km on the Deshgaon-Julwaniya section.
The highway will connect major cities and towns, including Betul, Khandwa, Khargone, and Barwani. It will also link key national highways, including NH-47, NH-753, NH-347BG, and NH-52, as well as State Highway SH-15. The enhanced road network will improve access to the airports at Indore and Nagpur and the railway stations at Betul and Khandwa.
The project will also serve as a vital link to several economic and industrial centres, including a textile cluster, two mega food parks, an industrial park, and two super thermal power plants. The corridor is also expected to benefit from the Multi-Modal Logistics Park in Indore.
In addition, the project is expected to generate significant employment opportunities. It is estimated to create 19.50 lakh person-days of direct employment and a further 23 lakh person-days of indirect employment, providing a substantial socio-economic boost to the local population.
(ANI)