Delhi-Mumbai corridor may result in boom for Malwa

The Malwa region of western Madhya Pradesh will get more industrial investment if proper "zoning" gets clearance.

The Madhya Pradesh government will complete zoning and other detailed planning for the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project this month. But government sources have said the six-laning of roads will be a tough task.

Neemuch-Nayagaon and Shajapur-Dewas have been included in the project as industrial regions while Ratlam-Nagda and Pithampur-Dhar-Mhow (near Indore) have been included as mega investment regions.

The major developments, which the Madhya Pradesh government is seeking through the project, are converting Indore domestic airport into an international airport, expanding Bhopal airport and creating two new domestic airports at Neemuch and Mandsaur.

Air-connectivity related work will be done at Rs 5,000 crore, while freight rail-lines and constructing four-lane roads in the industrial regions will cost Rs 1,698 crore and Rs 2,430 crore, respectively.

"We have to do zoning for the project in terms of connectivity, logistics, etc. We will prepare our detailed report by December 15," said Satya Prakash, principal secretary, Department of Industries.

A four-tier system, as institutional framework, will be set up for the implementation of the DMIC.

Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) has been envisaged to coordinate project development, finance and implementation. It will have representation from the Centre, the state governments and financial institutions.

A state-level nodal agency will coordinate between the DMICDC and various state government entities and the special purpose vehicles to be created for the purpose.

The government of Japan, which will give Rs 994.5 crore ($250 million) to the Rs 358,020 crore ($90 billion) project, has asked India to expedite the pre-launch preparations. The project is likely to begin on January.