In a way, India is putting a finer point on the state’s freight edge. The Cabinet has given the nod to these Rs 4,415.60 crore in improvements, which will put a major corridor in line with PM Gati-Shakti and make for a quicker, more secure trip for goods. It’s a different story for shippers and investors with an eye on central India from here on out.
Why this is being done now
The official word is that this is about the corridor running through Betul, Khandwa, Khargone and Barwani. For too long, you had to deal with tight turns and hold-ups there. These fixes are meant to get average speeds up, cut down on time and fuel, and make the road a little safer.
Then there is the matter of the 06 PM Gati-Shakti Economic Nodes, 5 social ones and 5 for logistics. We’re talking about links to a Textile Cluster, 02 Mega Food Parks, an Industrial park, 02 Super Thermal Power Plants, 02 Railway Stations, 02 Airports and 01 MMLP. It’s a case for more of a multimodal approach.
What was put to the vote
Under the Hybrid Annuity Mode, the CCEA has put its stamp on modernising two bits of NH-347B. One is a 125.01 km run from Hiwarkhedi to Roshni, Ashapur and Rudhy where an intermediate lane will be made into a 2-lane with a proper shoulder. The other is a 108.643 km expansion to 4 lanes on the Deshgaon-Julwaniya leg.
Put them together and you have a 233.653 km run on the Betul-Khandwa-Vadodara side of things. The tab comes to Rs 4,415.60 crore in all, with the government saying Rs 2,705.08 crore is for civil work and another Rs 432.77 crore for land.
On the subject of bypasses and geometry
You can’t ignore the kind of bottlenecks and poor geometry you find in some of the built-up zones. So the design calls for decongesting with a 70.39 km bypass at Hiwarkhedi and 54.273 km at Deshgaon-Julwaniya. There will also be a 16.20 km Greenfield Bypass in Khargone.
The thinking is that this will put a dent in vehicle operating costs and up safety. With the new layout, you should see less of the stop-and-go and idling that eats up your day and your fuel.
Making the case for the corridor
Once it’s up and running, the highway will be in good company with NH-47, 753, 347BG and 52, as well as SH-15. It means better lines to the Indore and Nagpur airports and the Betul and Khandwa railheads, which is what you want when cargo is on a clock.
There is a social side to it as well, with 02 Aspirational Districts (Khandwa and Barwani) and 03 Tribal ones (Betul, Khandwa, Khargone) in the mix. By making these connections solid, the state is in a better spot to put forward for any project that needs no-nonsense logistics in the heart of the country.
To put a fine point on what has been approved, the government has laid out the following:
– Total cost: Rs 4,415.60 crore
– Mode of operation: Hybrid Annuity
– To be upgraded: 125.01 km
– Widening: 108.643 km
– A 16.20 km Greenfield Bypass
What happens after the ink dries
The CCEA is looking for these works to open up the road for both passengers and freight and do some good for local commerce. They put the job creation at 19.50 lakh person-days of direct labour and 23.00 lakh in indirect terms.
It makes sense to have a two-pronged approach: you put in 4-lane capacity where the volume is, and on the other side, you give it a paved shoulder for the sake of reliability. And with the Hybrid Annuity, you get the best of public money and private sector rigour.
When the dust settles, we’ll see how well the corridor makes use of those 06 PM Gati-Shakti and 5 Logistic Nodes. If it means a shorter turnaround, the whole region could be looking at a long-term change in how freight is handled.
