The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the upgradation and widening of key stretches of National Highway 347B in Madhya Pradesh at an estimated cost of ₹4,415.60 crore. The project will be implemented on a Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) and covers a total length of 233.653 km across major districts in the state.
The project includes upgrading the existing intermediate lane to a 2-lane road with paved shoulders over 125.01 km of the Hiwarkhedi–Roshni–Ashapur–Rudhy section, along with widening the Deshgaon–Julwaniya section (108.643 km) from 2 lanes to 4 lanes. It will also include the construction of bypasses to ease congestion, including a 16.20-km Greenfield bypass in Khargone district. The corridor passes through Betul, Khandwa, Khargone, and Barwani districts, addressing sharp curves, geometric deficiencies, and congestion in built-up areas.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the upgraded highway will significantly improve travel efficiency by increasing average speeds, reducing travel time, and enhancing road safety. It is also expected to lower fuel consumption and vehicle operating costs, thereby improving regional mobility and supporting economic activity across central India.
The project forms part of a larger connectivity framework linking key economic, social, and logistics nodes under the PM Gati Shakti initiative. It will integrate six economic nodes, including one textile cluster, two mega food parks, one industrial park, and two super thermal power plants. It will also connect five social nodes, including the aspirational districts of Khandwa and Barwani, as well as tribal districts such as Betul, Khandwa, and Khargone. In addition, it will strengthen logistics connectivity by linking two major railway stations, two airports (Indore and Nagpur), and a multi-modal logistics park in Indore.
The ministry said the corridor will improve multi-modal integration and enable faster movement of goods and passengers across Madhya Pradesh and adjoining regions. The project is also expected to generate significant employment, estimated at 19.50 lakh person-days of direct employment and 23.00 lakh person-days of indirect employment during its execution phase.
