New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra modi has approved a major highway infrastructure project in Madhya Pradesh worth ₹4,415.60 crore. The project involves upgrading and widening key sections of National Highway-347B (NH-347B) over a total length of 233.653 kilometres under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM).
Under the approved plan, the Hiwarkhedi–Roshni–Ashapur–Rudhy section of NH-347B, spanning 125.01 km, will be upgraded from an intermediate lane to a two-lane road with paved shoulders. Additionally, the Deshgaon–Julwaniya section, covering 108.643 km, will be widened from two lanes to four lanes.
The project aims to address several infrastructure challenges, including sharp curves, geometric deficiencies, and traffic congestion in built-up areas across the districts of Betul, Khandwa, Khargone, and Barwani. A 16.20-km Greenfield bypass around Khargone will also be constructed as part of the project.
Once completed, the upgraded corridor is expected to improve road safety, increase average travel speeds, reduce travel time, lower vehicle operating costs, and enhance fuel efficiency. The project is also expected to boost regional mobility and support socio-economic development across the region.
The highway will strengthen connectivity between major economic, social, and logistics hubs in Madhya Pradesh. It will connect with six PM Gati Shakti economic nodes, including a textile cluster, two mega food parks, an industrial park, and two super thermal power plants. The corridor will also serve five social nodes, including the aspirational districts of Khandwa and Barwani and tribal districts such as Betul, Khandwa, and Khargone.
In addition, the upgraded route will improve access to key transport infrastructure, including Indore and Nagpur airports, the Betul and Khandwa railway stations, and the Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) at Indore. The corridor will also provide better connectivity to major highways such as NH-47, NH-753, NH-347BG, and NH-52, as well as State Highway-15.
The project is expected to generate significant employment opportunities, creating approximately 19.5 lakh person-days of direct employment and 23 lakh person-days of indirect employment during the construction phase. With this approval, the government aims to enhance transport efficiency, strengthen logistics infrastructure, and accelerate economic growth in central and western Madhya Pradesh.
