The Centre on Wednesday, 3 June cleared a ₹4,415.60 crore highway upgradation project for Madhya Pradesh, even as Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held detailed discussions with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in New Delhi on industrial growth, investment, and employment generation in the state. The twin developments target tribal-dominated districts and aim to accelerate economic activity across central India.

What the highway project covers

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the upgradation and widening of key stretches of National Highway-347B under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM). The plan includes upgrading the 125.01-km Hiwarkhedi–Roshni–Ashapur–Rudhy section to a two-lane road with paved shoulders, and widening the 108.643-km Deshgaon–Julwania section from two to four lanes.

The total corridor length spans 233.653 km, connecting Betul, Khandwa, Khargone, and Barwani districts and forming a crucial part of the Betul–Khandwa–Vadodara route. A 16.20-km Greenfield bypass around Khargone will also be developed, alongside bypasses of 70.39 km and 54.273 km on the two main sections.

Connectivity and economic nodes

According to the government, the corridor will link six PM Gati Shakti economic nodes, including a textile cluster, two mega food parks, an industrial park, and two super thermal power plants. It will also connect the aspirational districts of Khandwa and Barwani, and the tribal districts of Betul, Khandwa, and Khargone.

The project will improve access to Indore and Nagpur airports, Betul and Khandwa railway stations, and the Multi Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) at Indore. It interfaces with national highways NH-47, NH-753, NH-347BG, and NH-52, along with State Highway-15.

Jobs on the table

The Centre estimates the project will generate around 19.50 lakh person-days of direct employment during construction, alongside substantial indirect opportunities. Officials said the upgraded highway will reduce journey time, enhance safety, and lower fuel and vehicle operating costs.

Sharing details of his meeting with the Madhya Pradesh CM, Goyal said the state is emerging as one of India's leading investment destinations on the back of industry-friendly policies and improved infrastructure. “During my meeting with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in Delhi today, we held extensive discussions on industry, investment, and employment generation in the state,” Goyal wrote in a post on X.

What the Chief Minister said

Welcoming the approval, Mohan Yadav framed the project as proof of the “double-engine government” thesis. “Development is progressing at double speed under the double-engine government. The approval of the ₹4,415.60-crore road project will accelerate growth in tribal-majority districts such as Betul, Khandwa, Khargone, and Barwani and create employment opportunities for thousands of people,” Yadav said in a statement.

The Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Modi and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari for clearing the package. The project is expected to strengthen industrial connectivity and logistics efficiency, themes that also dominated Yadav's Delhi talks with Goyal.