KAMAL NATH STRESSES ON IMPROVING ROAD CONNECTIVITY IN DMIC PROJECT

December 12, 2007

Shri Kamal Nath, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, has called for improving the road connectivity of the four hubs / regions proposed to be developed in the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) Project. In his communication to the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh on 10th December 2007, Shri Kamal Nath has requested for initiating / undertaking the following action for improving the road connectivity of the four industrial regions (Pithampur-Dhar-Mhow; Neemuch-Nayagaon; Shajapur-Dewas and Ratlan-Nagda) under the DMIC Project:

i) The State Highway (SH-31) between Nagda (on National Highway-79) and Gujri (on National Highway-3) be four laned for providing the Pithampur-Dhar-Mhow Mega Industrial Region better connectivity with NH-79 and NH-59.

ii) Widening and strengthening of the Dewas-Ujjain-Badnawar stretch of State Highway (SH-18) to improve the connectivity of the Shajapur-Dewas Industrial Region to ensure improved linkage between National Highway-3 and National Highway-79, passing through Ratlam.

iii) Strengthening of State Highway-41 between Sarangapur-Akodia-Shujalpur-Ashta-Kannod for improving the road connectivity between National Highway-86 and National Highway-59A for serving both the Shajapur-Dewas Industrial Region as well as the Indore-Pithampur-Mhow belt.

iv) For converting the Jhabua-Thandla Road-Ratlam Road into a four laned State Highway to help the growth of the Ratlam-Nagda Mega Industrial Region.

v) To facilitate the growth of the Ratlam-Nagda region, Ratlam-Sailana road link for improvement/augmentation; and

vi) Jaora-Sailana-Banswara (Rajasthan) road be converted into a two / four lane State Highway.

Besides the above six road links, Shri Kamal Nath has suggested for improving the connectivity of Indore with Mumbai, the financial capital of the country. “I suggest that between Indore and Nashik, the road link be similarly converted into an expressway with the Government of Madhya Pradesh taking the responsibility of developing it between Indore and Shirpur on the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border and for the remaining portion upto Nashik being so developed”, the letter says.

As regards National Highways, Shri Kamal Nath has written to the Minister for Shipping, Transport and Highways, Shri T.R. Baalu, explaining that the government has already accorded its in-principle approval to the development of the DMIC project, which passes through six states including Madhya Pradesh. Shri Kamal Nath has urged Shri Baalu to improve the transport connectivity in the above four industrial regions of Madhya Pradesh by four laning the Dewas-Sehore-Bhopal stretch of NH 86 extension and the road connecting Jaora on NH 79 with Maksi and passing through Mehidpur on SH 27 and Tararia being converted into an extension of the NH network.