Dhar (Madhya Pradesh) [India], April 10 (ANI): Union Minister of Road and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav laid the foundation stone and inaugurated 10 National Highway projects and related infrastructure construction works worth over Rs 5,800 crore for the state at a program held in Badnawar, Dhar district, on Thursday.

The Union Minister and the Chief Minister performed the bhoomi pujan, which included a 4-lane road on the Sandalpur-Nasrullaganj section, a 2-lane road with paved shoulder on the Chanderi-Pichor section, 7 flyovers and underpasses on the Indore-Gujarat section, 3 flyovers and underpasses in Shajapur, Kanasiya, and MIDC Industrial Area, and a flyover at Rasalpur Junction.

Similarly, the road projects inaugurated on the occasion consist of a newly constructed 4-lane road on the Ujjain-Badnawar section, a 4/6-lane Greenfield Highway from Kheda Khajuria to Suhagdi of Ujjain-Garoth, a 4/6-lane Greenfield Highway from Suhagdi to Bardia Amra of Ujjain-Garoth, a 2-lane road with paved shoulder on the Jirapur-Susner-Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan border section, and a 3-lane road with paved shoulder at Bakaner Ghat.

CM Yadav expressed gratitude to Union Minister Gadkari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the road development projects and hoped that it will not only improve the connectivity but also will provide new heights to economic development of the state.

The Chief Minister further stressed that along with development, it would promote trade and tourism in various areas which would generate new employment opportunities for the local people in the state.

While addressing the event, Union Minister Gadkari said, 'Madhya Pradesh has a double-engine government and development is going at a fast pace here. With a vision to make everyone happy, prosperous and empowered, CM Yadav is rapidly taking the state forward on the path of development. Highways are not just roads; they are paths of progress that change the lives of people. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have brought about extensive changes in the infrastructure of the country in the last 10 years. The country has to be the third-largest economy in the world, and Madhya Pradesh will also participate in this. The zeal for development is visible in MP, so we will make it the biggest contributor to the development of the country.'

The Union Minister announced that they would make the national highway network in Madhya Pradesh better than that of America in the next three years. They would also complete the construction of national highways and other infrastructure worth over Rs 3,00,000 crore in the country in the next one year.

Additionally, on the demand of CM Yadav, Union Minister Gadkari approved the construction and development works of six new national highway projects of 400 km worth Rs 12,000 crore. The Union Minister also approved the construction work of five new Greenfield Economic Corridor, ring road, elevated corridor, bridge and other construction works to be built by NHAI at a cost of Rs 33,000 crore in Madhya Pradesh.

'The completion of road projects will lead to development of the region. Youth will get employment, poverty will be eradicated. Highways bring happiness. We will connect every village of Madhya Pradesh with roads, so that everyone here gets the benefit of education, employment, health treatment and development,' he added.

CM Yadav claimed that Amritkal is happening in the country, and PM Modi is moving toward realising the dream of former Prime Minister and late BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had dreamed of transforming the country.

'Our nation will emerge as the best country in the world in this Amrit Kaal. Roads are a natural measure of development. Therefore, by increasing road connectivity to every village, we are moving rapidly towards bringing change in the lives of the people of Madhya Pradesh. Indore and Bhopal will soon become metropolitan cities. Everyone, be it rural or urban, will get its benefit,' the CM said.

Extending gratitude to Union Minister Gadkari for road projects worth Rs 5800 crore to Madhya Pradesh, CM Yadav said that Gadkari is the highway development man of the country. Under his leadership, infrastructure development is growing rapidly in the country. He also noted that these national highway projects benefiting the Malwa region will help the state government in successfully organizing Simhastha-2028. (ANI)