National Highways Authority of India Moves Ahead with Six-Lane NH-52 Upgradation Plan Connecting Indore and Maharashtra.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to upgrade the Indore–Khalghat–Sendhwa–Maharashtra stretch of National Highway-52 from four lanes to six lanes, marking a major infrastructure push along the key Agra–Mumbai corridor.

The proposed project will cover around 160 kilometres and is aimed at strengthening regional connectivity, improving logistics efficiency, and handling rising traffic volumes on one of the country’s most important east–west freight routes. NHAI said the DPR work is currently underway, and construction will be taken up in phases after the report is finalised. The upgrade is intended as a long-term solution to manage increasing vehicular pressure and ensure smoother traffic flow in the coming years.

The NH-52 stretch forms a critical link between northern, western and southern India, connecting major economic centres such as Indore and Mumbai. The corridor currently witnesses heavy daily cargo movement and traffic of nearly 40,000 vehicles, making the planned six-lane expansion crucial for improving safety, reliability and travel efficiency.

As part of the project, challenging ghat sections including Bheru Ghat, Bakaner Ghat and Bijasan Ghat are also proposed for six-lane widening. NHAI said earlier four-lane development work in these stretches had already improved road safety through measures such as realignment, slope balancing and carriageway widening, and further enhancements are planned under the new expansion.

A key component of the project includes the construction of a new parallel bridge over the Narmada river in the Khalghat region to reduce pressure on the existing bridge and ensure seamless six-lane continuity across the corridor. The overall plan also includes development of bypasses and service roads in congested towns, along with flyovers and underpasses at major junctions to separate local and highway traffic and reduce bottlenecks.

Special attention is being given to accident-prone blackspots, particularly in the Bijasan Ghat area, where improvements such as curve redesign, drainage upgrades, installation of advanced road safety infrastructure and modern traffic management systems are proposed.

The upgraded corridor is expected to complement NH-47 and the proposed Indore Western Bypass, strengthening regional logistics networks. Industrial clusters such as the Pithampur industrial area are likely to benefit significantly from reduced logistics costs and improved supply chain efficiency.

Once completed, the six-lane highway is expected to cut travel time between Indore and the Maharashtra border towards Mumbai, while also reducing fuel consumption, transport costs and emissions. National Highways Authority of India said the project will play a key role in transforming the corridor into a safer, high-capacity transport route supporting trade, tourism, industry and logistics growth across the region.