Back on track? Western corridor tries to bypass controversies & green concerns
Bhopal: The western corridor of Bhopal that was cleared by the state govt before 2023 assembly polls, but was stuck after being marred with irregularities, is now slated to take off once again.
The project, which was to start from well before Mandideep while coming from Jabalpur side, would now start from after Mandideep towards Bhopal, to avoid controversies that influential people purchased land on sides of the corridor soon after the corridor was announced.
Officials said the second issue was environmental concerns from the project, as it moved from close to the catchment area of Upper Lake. To address the issue, the govt has decided to come up with an over bridge at the point where the corridor raised environmental concerns by passing through wetlands.
As per the new plan, the corridor would now start after Mandideep while coming towards Bhopal. This would reduce the corridor's length by four kilometers from 42 kms, as originally planned, to 38 kms. There would be a new 500 meters over bridge over Kolans river to avoid protected wetland site on the catchment of upper lake. Officials of the MP road development corporation said the new site selection survey is underway for the project and the work for the Rs 3000 cr project was expected to start after monsoon.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Live Comfortably: 60 m² Prefab Bungalow for Seniors in Najaf
Pre Fabricated Homes | Search Ads
Search Now
Undo
The agency that was originally finalized to carry out the project would only do the work after the new site selection.
The project was expected to give the city its much awaited ring road. Officials said, the 52 kilometers existing by-pass in Bhopal city on national highway 46 starts from Gyarah Mill and ends at Bhauri Bhopal-Indore route. It covers the city from three directions due to which vehicles moving towards Indore have to cover 23 kilometers additional distance.
In Oct last year the public works department constituted a four member committee comprising officials of public works dept, representatives of dist collectors concerned and representative of district registrar. The complaint was made to the PMO and the govt of India, ministry of road transport and highway has sent it to the public works department, MP. Officials said the complaint was regarding purchase and sale of land along the proposed by-pass by the officials and issues related to land along the route of proposed western by-pass or corridor.
There was no issue in the project and it would take off after a new site selection survey, officials added.
The need of a western bypass was felt in the city for a long time. The 38 kilometers western highway would start from close to Mandideep (on Bhopal and Mandideep road) and end on Indore road in village Phanda Kalan. It would be developed with four lane access control criteria and service roads will also be there.
As per the initial plan, out of the total project cost worth close to Rs 3000 crore, Rs 427 crore would be for land acquisition, Rs 19 crore for utility shift, Rs 15 crore for environment management, apart from the corridor construction.
After development of the western bypass, Mandideep industrial area would get directly linked with industrial capital Indore. Similarly, it is also expected to save time for people moving from Kolar towards Indore.
The heavy vehicles coming from Jabalpur and Narmadapuram could move towards Indore from outside of Bhopal that would have saved 23 kilometers of distance and one hour of time.
After completion of the west by-pass, the Kolar road and Sehore road (Ratibad village) would witness increased industrial activity and it would also get alternate routes for Indore and Rajgarh. In the project, 6 lane structures with a four lane road and two lane service roads on both sides were planned. One ROB, two flyovers, fifteen underpasses and two major junctions were proposed along the alignment of the route.
It was proposed to be constructed on hybrid annuity model- a variant of the PPP model used for implementation of highway projects.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
28 minutes 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
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
IITMS pilot signals fail to deliver promised results
1 2 3 4 5 6 Nagpur: The much-anticipated Integrated Intelligent Traffic Management System (IITMS) in Nagpur has failed to deliver the expected results. Although the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) initially announced the pilot's launch by June 15, it has now pushed the date further to June 25, following repeated glitches in system performance during test runs. As part of the pilot, the civic body installed new traffic signals and high-resolution cameras at 10 major junctions across the city to test the core features of the Rs 197-crore state-funded IITMS project. These junctions were equipped with modern signal systems, surveillance units, and electronic infrastructure meant to streamline traffic flow, monitor violations, and reduce congestion. "However, the early outcomes have been far from encouraging. The signals and surveillance network are not functioning reliably. After the hardware was installed, communication and coordination issues between the signals, control room, and field devices prevented the system from operating seamlessly," confirmed a senior NMC official privy to the development. NMC has formally communicated its dissatisfaction to the contractor responsible for the implementation. The city traffic police too have flagged multiple concerns, ranging from erratic signal synchronisation to system lags in transmitting real-time data to the control room. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo In response, the implementing company has been directed to address the technical shortcomings without further delay. The IITMS, once fully operational, is expected to offer multiple benefits — including adaptive traffic signalling, violation detection, real-time CCTV surveillance, and integration with the city police and NMC control rooms. The system's biggest promise lies in its ability to automatically detect violations such as red-light jumping, helmetless riding, and speeding, while also helping to manage peak-hour congestion. Despite these ambitious goals, the on-ground situation tells a different story. The pilot project, which should have been a showcase for smart traffic management, has instead become a point of concern for authorities already battling public criticism over rising violations and worsening traffic conditions. According to sources, the electric department has also raised concerns over technical integration and electricity supply stability, which are affecting signal performance. Meanwhile, messages and displays on the new signal poles have attracted public curiosity, but the system itself remains non-functional.
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
3 years after it was carved, no office for P-East ward
Mumbai: Three years after splitting P-North Ward into two, BMC is still struggling to find an office for the newly carved P-East ward. With BMC elections around the corner, BJP has demanded that BMC acquire a plot of land in Malad (east) to construct a new office for P-East ward. In 2023, the state govt said BMC was awaiting a 40,000 sq ft constructed area in a Slum Rehabilitation Authority project, but it didn't work out. So far, the new ward office hasn't started, and residents have to visit the old P-North ward office for routine work. P-North ward, which earlier covered Malad, Goregaon, and Kandivli, was the most populous ward in the city with a population of around 13 lakh. Following a demand from former BJP corporator Vinod Mishra, minister Ashish Shelar of BJP last week asked BMC officials to construct the new P-East ward office. "Despite the state govt issuing orders, BMC has delayed constructing a new ward office. As a result, people from Malad (east) have to spend a long time besides having to pay Rs 100 to get to the ward office in Malad (west). So we have demanded a ward office in Malad (east). A private plot reserved for a municipal chowky is ideal for the P-East ward office as it is close to Malad (east) railway station, Pathanwadi bus stop, and Dindoshi Metro station," said Mishra, who is following up on the ward office issue. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Investire è più facile che mai BG SAXO Scopri di più Undo BMC officials said that some temporary offices offering some civic services are operating from Ram Leela Maidan, Malad (east). "But this office is also not accessible and takes more than 45 minutes to reach from Malad (east). For all other services, residents have to go to the old P-North ward office, in Malad (west), near Liberty Garden. It is more than 5 km away from Malad (east). Also, there is only one assistant municipal commissioner for the old and new wards," Mishra said. "The fastest option is to acquire this private plot and construct the ward office. We have asked BMC to temporarily start a functional ward office for basic amenities like war works and solid waste management in an existing structure," Mishra said. BMC split up the former combined ward into two since providing civic amenities — water supply, sanitation, and citizen services was a challenge due to the vast area and high population.
