New Delhi, Sept. 8 -- A common vision, a shared future
Madhya Pradesh is taking a significant step towards integrated regional development with the notification of the Ujjain-Indore Metropolitan Region (UIMR). Conceived as a single planning unit, the initiative seeks to move beyond city-centric development and create a framework in which urban centres, smaller towns, industrial clusters and villages grow together. The metropolitan region will span 16,000.87 sq km, covering Indore, Ujjain, Dewas, Dhar, Ratlam and Shajapur, along with 38 tehsils and 2,781 villages. Its current population is listed at 75.34 lakh, while the plan estimates the creation of five lakh new employment opportunities.
The location gives UIMR wider strategic significance. Its eastern boundary will connect with the Bhopal Metropolitan Region, while the western side will extend towards the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). The framework, aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, is intended to encourage balanced and inclusive development across the region rather than concentrating investment and infrastructure in Indore and Ujjain alone.
Planning growth together
A central feature of the UIMR model is shared planning while preserving the autonomy of local bodies. A comprehensive master plan for the metropolitan region is proposed to coordinate residential, commercial and industrial development. The framework also gives priority to protecting agricultural land, forests and water bodies and proposes tighter regulation to check illegal colonies and unplanned construction.
Shared infrastructure is another major component. Large facilities such as solid-waste management centres and sewage-treatment plants could serve several towns, reducing duplication of expenditure and improving utilisation of resources. The plan draws on Indore's cleanliness model for sustainable urban management. For investors, a single integrated authority is proposed to streamline approvals that currently involve agencies such as the Town & Country Planning Department, municipal corporations and the Pollution Control Board. The initiative also envisages improved education, healthcare and infrastructure in smaller towns, with the aim of reducing migration towards major cities.
Corridor built around partnership
The Indore-Pithampur Economic Corridor is a key component of the UIMR vision. On May 3, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav laid the foundation stone at Nainod village for its first phase. The project is envisaged as a 100-km Metro Industrial Economic Zone, connecting Pithampur through Indore-Ujjain with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Garoth.
The first phase comprises a 20-km-long, 75-metre-wide road costing '2,365 crore. The corridor will have an overall width of 675 metres, including development extending 300 metres on either side. Under the land-pooling model outlined for the project, farmers from 17 villages will receive back 60 per cent of their developed land, positioning landowners as partners in the development process rather than simply contributors of land.
Learning from metropolitan models
The UIMR framework draws inspiration from established metropolitan planning models in India and abroad. The National Capital Region demonstrates coordinated planning across state boundaries, while the Mumbai Metropolitan Region illustrates how transport links can integrate a large urban region. Bengaluru and Hyderabad are also cited as examples of metropolitan planning and expansion.
Internationally, the plan references Greater London's integrated transport approach, Tokyo's polycentric network and Shanghai's infrastructure-led development. In the UIMR model, different centres are similarly expected to develop distinct strengths - Pithampur in industry, Ujjain in religious tourism and Indore in business. The larger objective is to create a connected metropolitan ecosystem in which infrastructure, employment and investment spread beyond the biggest cities, giving Madhya Pradesh a broader and more balanced platform for its next phase of growth.
New engines beyond big cities
Instead of allowing development to remain concentrated in Indore and Ujjain, UIMR proposes a multi-nodal network. Seven regional cities - Dewas, Dhar, Maksi, Nagda, Shajapur, Sanwer and Mhow - are envisaged as dedicated growth nodes based on their geographical and economic strengths. Tailored development plans are intended to help these centres evolve into economic hubs supporting trade, logistics and industry while strengthening urban-rural connectivity.
Specialised centres will complement this network. Vikram Udyogpuri in Ujjain is being developed as an anchor city for sectors ranging from heavy engineering and manufacturing to information technology. Ratlam is envisaged as a logistics, multimodal and trade hub, while Pithampur will strengthen its role as a major automobile and manufacturing centre. The broader industrial strategy includes electric vehicles and engineering, logistics and trade, skill development, start-up incubation and four proposed industrial townships.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.