Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Union road transport and national highways minister Nitin Gadkari said here on Thursday that the construction of the Indore-Hyderabad Corridor NH-347BG, commonly known as Indore-Khandwa Road, would be complete by the end of this year.

He said that the MP Road Development Corporation must hand over the construction of the Eastern Bypass to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and also instructed that the process of land acquisition for Western Bypass should be expedited.

Chief minister Mohan Yadav was also present on the occasion. Gadkari was on a day-long visit to the city on Thursday and attended four programmes. First, he made an aerial inspection of construction of roads from Tejaji Nagar to Balwada of Indore-Hyderabad Corridor NH-347BG, commonly known as Indore-Khandwa road. He also inspected three tunnels being constructed on the route---Bheru Ghat Tunnel (length 576 metres), Bai Gram Tunnel (480 metres) and Choral Ghat Tunnel (550 metres).

He also conducted an aerial inspection of the 1.22 km-long six- lane flyover located at Rau Circle. Later, at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport of the city, he held a meeting of the top officials of NHAI and the state government. CM Dr. Mohan Yadav was also specially present in the meeting.

During the meeting, it was informed that the construction of the Corridor would be completed by the end of 2025, giving relief from accidents occurring on the black spots located at Bheru Ghat and Choral Ghat. It would also ease traffic and facilitate the general public going towards Khandwa and Maharashtra.

Union minister Gadkari and CM Dr. Yadav also took information about the ongoing construction work of national highways in Indore division at the airport. Regional officer of NHAI Shravan Kumar Singh and project director Sumesh Banzal made the presentation of projects of NHAI.

They highlighted that for the ease of local transport, six- lane three-layer flyovers were under construction at MR-10 junction, Best Price and underpasses at Arjun Baroda and Ralamandal. After completion of these flyovers, movement of vehicles in the city’s urban area would become smooth. Along with this, the construction work of Rasalpur six-lane flyover located at Dewas junction on Indore-Dewas route of NH-52 was also in progress.

Gadkari lauded the officers of NHAI for the before time completion of 8.87 km road at Bakaner Ghat (black spot) of Indore-Khalghat Highway. In the meeting, the minister was shown a video of the proposed beautification work in the construction of the new bridge over the Narmada by NHAI, close to Mortakka. The Union minister gave in-principle approval for concreting and beautification work in the 32-km-long bypass from Mangalia to Rau and increasing the small underpasses.  

Hand-over construction of Eastern Bypass to NHAI  

Talking about the construction of new Eastern and Western Bypass, Gadkari told the state government to hand over the construction of Eastern Bypass to NHAI. The state government should develop commercial activities along it, he said. He also directed the officials of the district administration to speed up land acquisition for the 64-km- long Western Bypass so that its construction work could be started soon.

Gadkari visits Nath Mandir  

Amid his hectic schedule, Gadkari visited the Nath Mandir located in Tukoganj area and paid obeisance to Madhav Nath Maharaj. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan was also present.