Road infrastructure projects in Madhya Pradesh linked to Simhastha-2028 have been placed on a fast track, with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari directing officials to ensure time-bound completion while maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety. Gadkari issued the directions while chairing a high-level review meeting in New Delhi to assess the progress of national highway projects in the state. Emphasising that Simhastha is an international-scale religious congregation, he said robust, safe and seamless road connectivity is critical to managing large pilgrim inflows and ensuring smooth logistics during the event. The Union minister praised the Madhya Pradesh government for satisfactory project progress, noting that stronger coordination between the Centre and the state has accelerated execution. He said highways are not merely transport corridors but key enablers of regional development and public convenience, calling for a balance between functionality and aesthetics in road projects. During the review, Gadkari evaluated highway beautification works, bridge and culvert construction, and black-spot rectification. He instructed officials to identify accident-prone locations and undertake corrective measures on priority to improve road safety. Stressing construction quality, he said all works must strictly adhere to prescribed technical standards. Gadkari also urged minimisation of tree felling during road construction and called for prioritising tree transplantation using modern techniques to balance infrastructure development with environmental protection. He held direct interactions with contractors and warned that quality lapses would not be tolerated. On maintenance, he said toll roads must be kept in excellent condition at all times, cautioning that strict action would be taken against operators if standards were not met. All pending projects linked to Simhastha-2028 have been directed to be completed within defined timelines, with December 2027 set as the target date. Mohan Yadav said the review would further strengthen institutional coordination between the Centre and the state, ensuring both speed and quality in highway execution. He added that issues relating to land acquisition, environmental clearances, construction quality and timelines were addressed through coordinated decision-making. A key outcome of the meeting was the clearance for the construction of the 299 km greenfield Atal Progress-Way, also known as the Chambal Expressway. Consensus was reached on forest and environmental clearances in the presence of Bhupender Yadav, paving the way for early execution of the expressway. MP Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar, PWD Minister Rakesh Singh, Chief Secretary Anurag Jain, PWD Principal Secretary Sukhveer Singh and MP Road Development Corporation Managing Director Bharat Yadav were also present at the meeting.