Madhya Pradesh's upcoming mega development projects

The upcoming years are set to witness significant milestones in the development of Madhya Pradesh. The state as well as the central government have announced a range of Megaprojects aimed at accelerating progress in this central Indian state.

Narmada Expressway

Madhya Pradesh proudly houses the country's longest 6-lane expressway, stretching from the mouth of the magnificent Narmada River in Amarkantak, and reaching all the way to Alirajppur. This monumental project, amounting to a staggering 31,000 crores, spans an impressive distance of 1256 kilometres.

The construction of this expressway will serve as a vital lifeline for regions along the Narmada River, significantly enhancing tourism opportunities. Furthermore, it will establish seamless connections between key districts, including Anuppur, Dindori, Mandla, Jabalpur, Narsinghpur, Hoshangabad, Harda, Khandwa, Khargone, and Barwani. As a part of the BHARATMALA initiative led by the central government, a designated industrial cluster in proximity to the expressway and the development of 35 multimodal logistics parks are also planned.

Personal vehicles will not be charged a toll on a specific route. Here are a few:

• Panna- Ajaygarh
• Katni, Vijayraghavghad, and Barhi
• Rewa, Bankuia, and Semriya
• Ujjain-Maksi
• Sanavad- Khargone
• Dabra, Bhitarwar, and Harsi
• Nasrullaganj, Khategaon, etc.

Floating solar plant in Omkareshwar

The government has nearly completed its most ambitious project, the construction of a floating solar power plant. This groundbreaking initiative aims to boost the state's power generation capacity and tackle the prevailing electricity issues in the region. Notably, this innovative project, known as the country's first "floating solar plant," is situated in the serene backwater of the Omkareshwar Dam. The dam, located near the holy town of Omkareshwar in Khandwa district, was specifically chosen as the site for this extraordinary undertaking.

In the upcoming months, this plant is scheduled to commence generating electricity. The project incurs a cost surpassing Rs. 3000 crores. Notably, Khandwa will stand as Madhya Pradesh's sole district to host a thermal power station, a hydroelectric plant, and even a floating solar plant.

Chambal Expressway

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Madhya Pradesh's 17th Chief Minister, announced the Chambal Expressway project in 2017.

The Chambal expressway is 408 kilometres long. It runs for 313 kilometres in Madhya Pradesh, 23 kilometres in Uttar Pradesh, and 72 kilometres in Rajasthan. The Chambal Expressway, also known as the Atal Pragati Path, is part of the Bharat Mala Paryojana Phase I of the central government.

The Atal Pragati Path is expected to cost more than Rs. 23,600 crores. In Kota, Rajasthan, the Atal Pragati Path will connect to NH 27. Near Gwalior, it will connect to the Agra-Gwalior Greenfield expressway. The Atal Pragati Path will be completed by the end of 2027.

The Chambal expressway will connect five districts and 214 villages across three states.The Atal Pragati Path will begin in Kota's Digodh tehsil.Driving on the Atal Pragati Path will be permitted at a maximum speed of 120 km/h.

The National Highways Authority of India is purchasing 3,900 hectares of land for the Atal Pragati Path.

Bhopal and Indore metro projects

The two Metro rail lines will undergo a trial run in September of this year, with operations expected to begin in April or May of next year.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made the announcement in Bhopal, where he unveiled the first prototype train for the Bhopal and Indore metro projects.

The model metro coach is now open to the public at Smart Park in Shyamla Hills. The metro, according to CM Shivraj, is a 'necessity' in the current era, as it will reduce travel time and make the journey more comfortable.

Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Company Limited (MPMRCL), a 50:50 joint venture between the Centre and the State Government, administers and manages both Metro Rail projects.

BHOPAL METRO

The Bhopal metro, which spans 31 kilometres and has an estimated budget of Rs 7,000 crore is currently under construction. The 16.74-kilometer-long orange line will connect Karond Circle and AIIMS via 16 stations.

The underground section will be 3.39 km long and will have two stations: Bhopal Station and Nadra Bus Stand, while the elevated section will have 14 stations: AIIMS, Alka Puri, DRM Office, Rani Kamlapati, M P Nagar, Board Office, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Subhash Nagar, Pul Bogda, Aishbagh, Sindhi Colony, DIG Bungalow, Krishi Upaj Mandi, and Karond Square. A 14.16-kilometer-long blue line will connect Ratnagiri Tiraha and Bhadbhada Square.

Ratnagiri Tiraha, Piplani, Indra Puri, JK Road, Govindpura Industrial Area, Prabhat Petrol Pump, Pul Bogda, Lal Parade Ground, Minto Hall, Roshanpura Square, Jawahar Square, Depot Square, and Bhadbhada Square will be the 14 stations.

The trial run on 5-kilometre stretches between AIIMS and Subhash Nagar is expected to begin in September of this year. The Chief Minister also stated that the Bhopal metro will be extended further to Mandi Deep and then to Sehore via Bairagarh. The special thing is that CM also belongs to the Sehore district.

Metro in Indore

The Indore Metro Rail Project was approved by the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in October 2018. It will connect major public nodes and city cluster areas in Indore.

The 31.3-kilometer Yellow Line includes an 8.7-kilometer underground segment with seven stations: Indore Railway Station, Raj Wada, Chhota Ganapati, Bada Ganapati, Ramchandra Nagar, Kalani Nagar and Airport.

Gandhi Nagar, Bhawar Kuan Square, ISBT, Chandragupta Square, Heera Nagar, Bapat Square, Meghdoot Garden, Vijay Nagar Square, Malviya Nagar Square, Shaheed Bagh, Khajrana, Bengali Square, Journalist Colony and Palasia are among the elevated stations on the Yellow Line.

The project's estimated costs are near Rs 7,500 crore, and plans are in the works to open a 6 km stretch from Gandhi Nagar to Super Corridor 03 by June 2024, with a trial run beginning in September 2023.

Train sets with three coaches Both the Bhopal and Indore metro will begin with three metro coaches forming a single train with a two-minute peak hour frequency. The coaches have a seating capacity of 50 passengers and a standing capacity of 300 passengers. The trains are designed to achieve HL3 safety levels, are capable of unattended train operations (UTO), and are outfitted with AI-enabled CCTV cameras. The state government plans to finish both Bhopal-Indore metro Rail Projects by December 2026.

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