- Badnawar four-lane project connects Malwa to Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.
- Rs 3,839 crore project crucial for Simhastha Mahakumbh 2028.
- Land acquisition started; benefits PM Mitra Mega Textile Park.
The Badnawar-Petlawad-Thandla-Timarwani four-lane project worth Rs 3,839 crore, connecting Malwa to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, is finally underway. Following land acquisition for this project, crucial for the development of the Ujjain-Indore Metropolitan Region, compensation distribution to affected farmers has begun.
So far, compensation of Rs 25.58 crore has been approved for 276 farmers. Meanwhile, with only 20 months remaining before Simhastha Mahakumbh 2028, construction of this 80.45-kilometre four-lane road is still in its initial stages.
Considering the remaining land acquisition process and the monsoon, completing the project within the stipulated time is considered the biggest challenge. This route will not only connect Badnawar to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, but will also provide a new impetus to the PM Mitra Mega Textile Park, industrial investment, trade, and religious tourism.
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The Union Cabinet approved this four-lane corridor last March. Built on the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), this approximately 80.45-kilometre-long four-lane will directly connect Badnawar, Petlawad, Thandla, and Timarwani to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. This will provide fast and smooth road connectivity to Dhar and Jhabua districts, as well as to Gujarat and Rajasthan. The project was announced by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari at the Ujjain-Badnawar four-lane inauguration ceremony on April 10, 2025, at the request of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
The state government has set a goal of upgrading the major roads connecting Ujjain in view of the Simhastha Mahakumbh 2028. It is estimated that 30 to 40 crore devotees will arrive for the Mahakumbh. Therefore, the timely completion of this four-lane road is considered extremely important. However, currently only the process of land acquisition and compensation distribution has begun. Construction activities will also be limited due to the rainy season. Experts believe that while the construction of the 69 km Ujjain-Badnawar four-lane road took almost three years, completing the new 80 km corridor within the stipulated time will not be easy.
Over 50 Villages Will Be Affected
The proposed four-lane road will pass through more than 50 villages in Dhar and Jhabua districts. Fourteen villages in Badnawar tehsil, including Khimakhedi, Kheda, Shambhupada, Chandwadia, Sandla, Dotariya, Bhainsola, Semalkheda, Chhaya, and Lilikhedi, are involved in the land acquisition process. A total of 155,579 hectares of land is being acquired for the project, with the largest portion of the land being acquired in Kheda, Dotariya, Shambhupada, and Bhainsola villages.
Under the project, land acquisition awards have been passed for 276 farmers. Payments are being made under the National Highways Act and the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act. directly deposited into the bank accounts of 76 farmerPayments have been directly deposited to farmer’s accounts from eight affected villages: Sandla, Chandwadia Buzurg, Shambhupada, Chayan, Lilikhedi, Kheda, Shambhupada, and Khimakhedi. The remaining farmers will be paid after the documentation process is completed.
Compensation distribution has begun in most of the affected villages of Badnawar tehsil, but the process is still pending in Dotariya, Bhainsola, and Lilikhedi due to differences in guideline rates and some technical issues. The administration says that compensation will be distributed to the farmers of these villages as soon as the formalities are completed.
PM Mitra Park Will Get Huge Benefit
The PM Mitra Mega Textile Park being developed in Bhainsola village will be the biggest beneficiary of this project. The four-lane road will accelerate the transportation of raw materials and finished products for industries, boost investment, and create new employment opportunities. Furthermore, direct connectivity to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will play a key role in giving Badnawar and the entire Malwa region a new identity from an industrial, commercial, and tourism perspective.
SDM Priyanka Mimrot stated that the process of distributing compensation to the remaining eligible farmers in cases of private land acquired for the four-lane construction is ongoing as per the rules. The funds will be transferred to the bank accounts of the concerned farmers as soon as the necessary formalities are completed.