In a decisive move to ramp up infrastructure and public utility services across Madhya Pradesh, the State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav on Tuesday cleared development projects worth more than Rs 7,000 crore. These include a significant budget hike under the Jal Jeevan Mission, a greenfield expressway linking Indore and Ujjain, a new railway overbridge in Ujjain ahead of Simhastha 2028, and a major road project connecting Narmadapuram to Timarni. New railway overbridge to ease Simhastha traffic: Ujjain city, which will host the next Simhastha in 2028, is set to get a much-needed traffic upgrade with a new four-lane railway overbridge at Harifatak Crossing. The Rs 371.11 crore project will extend 980 metres up to Neelkanth Dwar and is expected to significantly improve traffic flow during the massive religious congregation, which attracts millions of pilgrims from across the country. State steps up on rural tap water supply: In its most substantial allocation, the Cabinet approved an additional Rs 2,813.21 crore for revised rural tap water schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

 

The revision, which brings the total cost of 8,358 updated projects to Rs 9,026.97 crore, is aimed at providing functional tap water connections to nearly seven lakh rural households. Officials said that the cost increase, amounting to 13.55% over initial estimates, would be fully borne by the state government. To date, Madhya Pradesh has sanctioned 27,990 single-village tap water schemes and 148 group supply schemes, with over 15,000 village-level projects already completed. Indore-Ujjain to get greenfield expressway: Among the headline projects is a 48.10-km long, access-controlled greenfield expressway between Indore and Ujjain, approved at a cost of Rs 2,935.15 crore. The four-lane corridor, to be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), includes service roads, 34 underpasses, two flyovers, one railway overbridge, and extensive safety features.

 

The earlier approval under a different model has been revoked in favour of the HAM framework, which allows for better risk sharing between the public and private sectors. The concession period for the project is 17 years. Narmadapuram-Timarni road to be upgraded: Also cleared was a Rs 972.16 crore plan to upgrade the 72.18-km Narmadapuram-Timarni road into a two-lane highway with paved shoulders. This project, also under the HAM model, will feature multiple bridges, underpasses, and safety enhancements. Like the expressway, this road will be constructed and maintained under a 17-year concession period.