1-hr travel to Omkareshwar & Mahakaleshwar by mid-2026
Indore: In a major boost for religious tourism and regional connectivity, Indore, strategically located between the Omkareshwar and Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlingas, is set to offer an unprecedented one-hour travel time to both revered destinations by the next year.
This significant reduction in travel duration is largely due to the nearing completion of Madhya Pradesh's first two road tunnels on the Indore-Khandwa road and the upgrade of the Indore-Ujjain four-lane highway to a six-lane expressway.
According to Sumesh Banjhal, NHAI Indore project director, approximately 80% of the work on the state's pioneering road tunnels in Choral, part of the Indore-Icchapur highway, was completed.
"We are confident to open the tunnel for traffic by June 2026, while the Mortakka bridge over the Narmada River is also expected to be completed by December 2025," Banjhal stated. He added that the Public Works Department (PWD) is simultaneously working to complete a 12 km-long four-lane road connecting the Mortakka Bridge directly to Shri Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga Mandir.
Indore-Ujjain four-lane highway is being upgraded to a six-lane expressway by the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPMRDC), with completion also anticipated within the next year, senior officials confirmed.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Free P2,000 GCash eGift
UnionBank Credit Card
Apply Now
Undo
Currently, the 60 km journey from Indore airport to Ujjain's Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Mandir takes between 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Traveling the approximately 90 km to Khandwa's Shri Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga Mandir via the existing route takes around 3 hours.
"As both major roads leading to Shri Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga Mandir and Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Mandir, situated to the left and right of Indore, are expected to be completed in the next year, the journey time to either major religious destination from MP's commercial city will be drastically reduced to one hour," Banjhal explainedwhile talking to TOI.
He provided an illustrative example, saying, "People arriving at Indore airport from Delhi or Mumbai will soon be able to reach Ujjain's Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Mandir, return to Indore, then go to Khandwa's Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga Mandir, and still return to Indore airport to catch a flight for their respective city, all within the same day."
Indore collector Asheesh Singh, who also holds the charge of 'Ujjain Kumbh Mela Kshetra,' emphasised the critical role these upgraded highways will play, especially in view of Ujjain's Simhastha Kumbh Mela in 2028, which is expected to attract millions of devotees. He affirmed that efforts are underway to complete these two highways, along with other major road projects, within their stipulated deadlines.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Spain's BNB bust: Why Indian tourists are ditching tapas for Taj Mahal tours
During her spring break, an Indian MBA student enrolled in a top Spanish business school had planned to explore the Basque countryside, a quiet getaway after months of rigorous coursework. But just days before the trip, her charming bed and breakfast in San Sebastián got abruptly cancelled. With prices for alternative accommodations skyrocketing and options limited, she stayed back in Madrid and settled for local sightseeing. As Spain grapples with protests against mass tourism, anecdotes like this one are coming up frequently this year. The Spanish government recently ordered Airbnb to take down more than 66,000 rental listings that failed to comply with regulations, particularly those that didn't clarify ownership, while a Madrid court called for the immediate removal of 5,000 such listings. These moves follow mounting protests across major cities like Barcelona and Seville where locals say tourism is pricing them out of housing. That tension is now echoing back to India's outbound travel industry, with data indicating a noticeable shift away from Spain, particularly among value-conscious and mid-range Indian travellers. According to the latest data from Turespaña, Spain's national tourism board, more than 226,000 Indian tourists visited the country in 2024, growing over 60% from 2022. The increasing negative sentiment and hostility towards tourism may now weigh on the growth, say travel industry insiders. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo 'Spain has always been a favourite for Indian travellers, but over the past year, we've seen a noticeable shift,' said Tavleen Bhatia, chief marketing and revenue officer at travel services company Cleartrip. 'This year, pre-monsoon season, bookings to Spain dipped by 32%.' 'Lot of Planning Needed Now' Indian travellers are broadening their European bucket list and are increasingly turning to destinations like Georgia, Romania, Serbia and Sweden for their rich culture and more affordable experiences, Bhatia said. Live Events Other factors may also be affecting the shift in traveller intent. 'The numbers this year have been a bit muted. That can be attributed to multiple factors, like changing preferences or less disposable income to spend,' said Rajiv Mehra, general secretary of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality. He also explained the hostility faced by tourists in Spain. 'Accommodation has become an issue of prioritising locals over tourists. Locals view tourists as the prime cause of increased rentals, and they find it unaffordable. The whole issue sprang from there. Tourists avoid those destinations where they feel unwelcome by the locals.' The lack of affordable accommodation options is also being felt. Hari Ganapathy, co-founder of customised tour package provider Pickyourtrail, said: 'A holiday in Spain now requires much earlier planning, primarily due to the limited availability of accommodations, which has become a more prominent issue recently.' The well-heeled, however, are still finding their way to the Iberian Peninsula with enthusiasm. According to SOTC Travel president SD Nandakumar, even with a 7-10% increase in tour pricing this year, 'Spain continues to witness strong interest from our customers.' The average 9N/10D itinerary is now priced around `2.9 lakh per person. Travellers are booking personalised holidays that include winery tours in La Rioja and Ribera del Duero, football stadium visits in Madrid and Barcelona, and nightlife experiences in Ibiza. There has also been a shift in where and how people travel. 'There's a clear uptick in demand for boutique hotels, luxury villas and heritage stays, reflecting the intent to slow down and explore more deeply,' he said. At Thomas Cook (India), per-person spends for Spain range from 2 lakh to 3 lakh, often with bookings in 4- to 5-star hotels or even luxury resorts. Rajeev Kale, president, Thomas Cook (India), said, 'Interestingly, we are witnessing shorter booking windows — approximately 1.5-2 months in advance, aligning with faster visa processing times.' According to Kale, emerging locales like Málaga and Costa del Sol in Andalusia, Ronda and Segovia are gaining traction.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Bengal students to board Jordan bus to flee Israel
1 2 Kolkata: As the Israel-Iran conflict enters the ninth day with no signs of a climbdown, sleepless and fear-stricken students from Bengal stuck in different cities of Israel are counting the days for their evacuation. While the process is likely to start through Jordan on Sunday, those who couldn't make it to the first list of evacuees waited with bated breath. On Sunday, heavily guarded buses will pick up the evacuees from a number of cities and head towards Jordan. Flights from Amman will bring them back to New Delhi. Priyangana Deb, a resident of Kolkata, who is pursuing post-doctoral research at the Medicine and Health Science Faculty of Tel Aviv University, reached Israel a few months back. As the attacks on Israel intensified, she felt unnerved after a point. Deb listed herself with the embassy for evacuation. "Sirens are nothing new in Israel. But this time it was different. I could not sleep well at night and had to rush to the shelter rooms multiple times, even at night. Even when the sirens are not blaring, a fear of the unknown chases me. Brought up in Kolkata, we have never seen such a thing before," said Deb. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What Is a Family Trust, and How Do You Set One Up? SmartAsset Learn More Undo "The Israel administration has a number of apps that send periodic notifications. Whenever there is a notification on the app, we have to rush to the shelter room," she added. Despite safety measures, Deb is looking forward to going back home. "I want to go back home now. My family and kids are there in Kolkata. I need to breathe in a secure environment for a while," she said. Deb is constantly in touch with the embassy over the past few days. Barrackpore resident Sayantan Maiti, who is pursuing research in surface chemistry of diamonds at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, is also waiting for his name to appear on the evacuee list. Maiti has been in Israel since Nov 2022 and witnessed the wars with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthis. "This time, the situation is even more dangerous. Cities like Tel Aviv, Be'er Sheva, and Haifa have been hugely affected by missile hits. However, social media has exaggerated it a lot," he said. Maiti felt that iron domes were largely effective in warding off Iranian missiles. "We are still alive because of the Israeli defence system — iron domes and bomb shelters. Direct impacts of missiles are more in number this time as they are huge and more savage," he said.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Many opt for premium travel insurance cover amid global flight disruptions
1 2 3 Pune: Holiday and business travellers are now increasingly purchasing more expensive travel insurance policies, experts said, as anxieties mounted over possible disruptions such as Covid surges, war, hospitalizations abroad and issues with airline safety. In Pune too, flyers said they did not mind paying the premium, as long as a range of unforeseen events were covered. "A basic travel insurance policy to Thailand typically costs Rs 500-600 for a week, but I paid Rs 1,100 for one that also covered medical emergencies and theft," said Rahul Sejpal, a resident of Wanowrie, who flew recently to the southeast Asian country. Naresh Upadhyay, a resident of Hadapsar, also purchased an expensive insurance cover for an upcoming Europe trip. "There have been serious flight disruptions due to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. So I opted for a wider insurance cover, one that accounts for these uncertainties," he said. Meet Kapadia, head of travel insurance at PolicyBazaar, said 62% of travellers today pick policies with coverage of $250,000 (over Rs 2 crore) or more, up from the earlier benchmark of $100,000 (over Rs 86 lakh). Kapadia said: "We've observed a clear shift towards higher-value coverage, especially for destinations such as Europe. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Cooling Tech Making Ductless ACs Go Mainstream [take a look] Keep Cool Click Here Undo Individuals between 55 and 70 years of age, in particular, are even opting for coverage exceeding $500,000 (over Rs 4 crore), largely driven by concerns of high hospitalisation costs abroad and need for medical support. " Kapadia also said PolicyBazaar has recorded a 40% increase in purchase of travel insurance policies for the summer this year, compared to the same period last year. Of great concern, have been the geopolitical flare-ups along several key flight paths. Data from real-time plane-tracker FlightRadar24 showed thinning air traffic over regions of Israel, Iraq, Iran and Ukraine as pilots squeezed into safe corridors that avoided these conflict zones. Besides geopolitics, geological events too have hit headlines. The recent eruptions of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Indonesia grounded at least 87 flights to and from Bali — 66 international and 21 domestic ones. Bali airport officials said the volcano impacted critical air connections to Australia, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia. The flights resumed three days later, on Thursday, June 19. "There may be a shift towards purchasing additional covers along with travel insurance as a standard part of people's travel preparations," said Bhaskar Nerurkar, head of the health administration team at Bajaj Allianz General Insurance. "Many individuals are now proactively seeking information about various aspects of their policies, particularly regarding trip cancellations, medical emergencies, cancellations for any reason, and protections against geopolitical disruptions," he said. Surender Tonk, vice President of Insurance Brokers Association of India (IBAI), said Covid was another factor. Earlier this month, at least 5 countries and regions, including Hong Kong and parts of US - all experiencing upticks of cases - sent out travel advisories urging people to avoid non-essential travel. "People are opting and preferring to go for higher insured travel insurance policies due to these uncertainties," Tonk said. "The Covid-19 pandemic raised awareness related to travel risks and hence witnessed more demand for comprehensive travel insurance policies," he added.
