BHOPAL/Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday unveiled projects worth Rs 5,657 crore, including the Rs 2,935-crore MPRDC Indore-Ujjain Greenfield Corridor, aimed at boosting connectivity and driving economic growth ahead of Simhastha-2028.
The two leaders, accompanied by Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, also inaugurated and launched a series of urban development projects at a programme in Chandrawatiganj, Indore district.
The 48-km four-lane Greenfield Corridor, being developed by the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC) at an estimated cost of Rs 2,935 crore, will connect Indore’s Pitra Parvat area with the Simhastha Bypass near the Chintaman Ganesh Temple in Ujjain.
Speaking at the event, Yadav said the corridor would boost growth in the Indore-Ujjain region by improving connectivity, easing pilgrim movement during Simhastha-2028 and enhancing links with the Delhi-Mumbai Economic Corridor via Pithampur.
“The Greenfield Corridor will become a new symbol of development in the region and open up fresh opportunities in trade, industry, agriculture and employment,” the Chief Minister said. He added that the state government had reduced the elevation of the proposed road in response to farmers’ concerns, ensuring easier local movement and access.
Yadav said the corridor would anchor the proposed 16,000-sq-km Indore-Ujjain Metropolitan Region, covering six major cities and supported by extensive rail and air connectivity.
The Chief Minister also launched an MPRDC road safety campaign and distributed helmets to beneficiaries, stressing the importance of helmet use in reducing fatalities in road accidents.
During the programme, under the PMAY-Urban, foundation stones were laid for housing projects worth over Rs 2,548 crore, benefiting more than 42,000 families, while nearly 38,000 completed houses built at Rs 992 crore were handed over to beneficiaries.
The programme also featured the inauguration of Rs 446 crore worth of projects, foundation laying for projects worth Rs 310.82 crore, and the release of Rs 51 crore to 20,000 street vendors under PM SVANidhi, besides AMRUT 2.0 projects and support for 36 fire stations.
Speaking on the occasion, Khattar said the Centre’s development agenda was focused on combining heritage with modern infrastructure. He lauded the state’s efforts to develop Ujjain as a major spiritual and cultural destination and said significant work was underway in preparation for Simhastha-2028.
“India has witnessed unprecedented transformation in the last 12 years. The country has expanded access to housing, food security and basic amenities, while nearly 25 crore people have moved out of poverty during this period,” Khattar said.