The Chief Minister's Office of Rajasthan announced on 9 July 2026 that Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari addressed a public gathering at Gopalura-Mandana in Kota, where he unveiled two major road connectivity projects linking the city to the 8-lane Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma were also present at the event.

Context

Speaking at the aamasabha (public assembly), Gadkari announced the construction of a link road connecting NH-52 to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway by bypassing the Mukundra Wildlife Sanctuary. The project is estimated to cost approximately Rs 550 crore. Separately, he announced a 21-kilometre four-lane greenfield connectivity road linking Kota to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway via Balapura.

The post from the official Rajasthan CMO account quoted the minister's announcement: 'NH-52 se Mukundra Wildlife Sanctuary ko bypass karte hue 8-lane Delhi-Mumbai Expressway se jodne ke liye link road banaya jayega' — a link road will be built bypassing the Mukundra Wildlife Sanctuary to connect NH-52 with the 8-lane Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.

Policy Backdrop

Both projects fall under the broader Bharatmala Pariyojana, India's flagship national highway development programme launched in 2015 to build over 34,800 km of expressways and economic corridors. The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, an access-controlled 8-lane greenfield corridor, received final approval in 2018 and has since seen multiple spur links planned for industrial and urban clusters along its alignment.

Rajasthan has been a focal state for such connectivity spurs, with the state government integrating its road development plans with the expressway network in successive budget sessions. The bypass alignment around Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve reflects a recurring policy emphasis on securing environmental and wildlife clearances before finalising highway alignments through protected zones.

Stakeholders and Impact

Kota, one of Rajasthan's largest industrial and educational hubs in the southeastern part of the state, stands to gain significantly improved freight and passenger access to the national expressway grid. Residents, logistics operators, and students who form a large population in the coaching-hub city are among the primary beneficiaries.

Wildlife conservation groups are likely to watch the bypass alignment closely, given that Mukundra Hills is a designated tiger reserve. The 550-crore link road's routing will require environmental clearance and potentially a wildlife impact assessment before construction can begin. The 21-km Balapura connector is a greenfield road, meaning fresh land acquisition will also be required.

What's Next

The next steps involve tendering, land acquisition, and obtaining statutory clearances — including wildlife and environmental approvals — for both projects. These stretches may be included in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' next annual Bharatmala progress review. The presence of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who represents the Kota constituency, signals strong political backing for expediting the approvals at the central level.

With CM Bhajanlal Sharma also present, the state government is expected to coordinate land acquisition processes in parallel, potentially accelerating the project timelines. The announcements reinforce Rajasthan's position as a key corridor state in India's expressway expansion drive.