Rs 3,839 crore four-lane highway to link Ujjain to Delhi-Mumbai Expressway

Indore: Pilgrims heading to Simhastha Kumbh Mela in 2028 will have a much smoother journey following the approval of a critical Rs 3,839.42 crore four-lane highway project that will link Ujjain directly to Delhi-Mumbai Expressway via Badnawar. The link will act as a vital high-speed gateway for the estimated 50 lakh visitors per day that are expected during major holy baths."The 80.45 km four-lane corridor connecting Badnawar, Petlawad, Thandla and Timarwani, will bridge the gap between Ujjain and Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (DME), significantly enhancing connectivity ahead of Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2028," NHAI Project Director (Ratlam) Sandeep Patidar told TOI.He said that the project was being fast-tracked to accommodate the massive surge in pilgrims expected during Simhastha 2028, where major ‘Snan' (holy bath) days could see an influx of approximately 50 lakh visitors per day. By upgrading the current intermediate-lane road (5.5 m wide), where speeds currently crawl between 20–50 kmph, to a high-speed four-lane highway (80–100 kmph), travel time is expected to be slashed by roughly one hour.NHAI has set a strict deadline to open the entire highway for traffic by March 2028, as Simhastha is scheduled for the next month (April 2028). NHAI officials emphasised that this project created a new ‘Ahmedabad-Bhopal Corridor', allowing commuters to avoid the heavily congested roads of Indore. "The new route would save travellers approximately 35 km in distance," Patidar said.He added that commuters from Gujarat can now stay on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway until Thandla to reach Ujjain, rather than exiting at Godhra for the congested Ahmedabad-Indore highway. "The corridor will reduce logistics costs and provide faster access to industrial hubs and Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLPs) in Indore, Pithampur, Ujjain, and Dewas. It will also serve the PM Mitra Park in Dhar," he explained."Construction is slated to begin on April 1, 2026, following the opening of tenders on March 18," he said.Ujjain Divisional Commissioner and Simhastha in-charge Asheesh Singh said that the city was preparing for heavy traffic from all directions, with this corridor serving as a vital link for pilgrims arriving from Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra.To complement this highway, the Directorate of Urban Administration and Development has already prepared a Mobility Master Plan for Ujjain. This includes a fleet of 2,400 buses connecting massive parking areas to the Mela grounds, a 13.11 km river transport route along the Kshipra River connecting holy sites like Triveni Ghat and Mangalnath Ghat, and construction of flyovers and underpasses at Harifatak Square and Kartik Mela Ground to manage peak pilgrimage traffic.