en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has approved state development and public welfare proposals totaling ₹47,990 million (47,990 million rupees), which include the four-laning project of the Bhopal-Vidisha highway and the toll arrangement for the six-laning expansion of the Bhopal Bypass. The decisions were made at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and were announced by the state's Department of Public Relations.

The approved Bhopal-Vidisha highway, spanning 44.83 kilometers and falling under State Highway-28, has an approved construction cost of ₹17,575.5 million (17,575.5 million rupees). The route will be upgraded to a four-lane highway with paved shoulders, starting from the Bhanpur T-junction on the Ayodhya Bypass and ending at the Sanchi-Salamatpur junction on National Highway 146, connecting several settlements in the Bhopal and Vidisha districts while improving access to the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Sanchi Stupa. Official data indicates that the Tropic of Cancer passes through this corridor at the 24,550-kilometer mark.

The project will be implemented under the Hybrid Annuity Model, in accordance with the Model Concession Agreement of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Of the construction cost, 40% (including Goods and Services Tax) will be funded by the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation from the State Highway Fund, while the remaining 60% will be paid as annuities in semi-annual installments over a 15-year operation period. Additionally, the state budget has allocated ₹3,654.1 million (3,654.1 million rupees) for preliminary works such as land acquisition and supervision.

Regarding the Bhopal Bypass, the Cabinet has approved the levy of user fees on the 51.963-kilometer Bhopal Bypass from July 19, 2026, to December 31, 2031, to support the expansion of this stretch from four lanes to six lanes, with the Public Works Department permitted to extend the toll period by another five years. Toll revenue will be deposited into the State Highway Fund and used exclusively by the development corporation for highway development and maintenance. Both projects are part of the infrastructure development plan aimed at strengthening connectivity in the areas surrounding the state capital.