Deputy CMs Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma lay foundation for 7.8-km road project; ₹8 crore worth of additional development works announced
TFP Bureau, Raipur, September 25, 2026: Kawardha is set for a major infrastructure upgrade with a 7.8-km stretch of National Highway-30 being expanded into a four-lane road at a cost of ₹54 crore. Grand entrance gates will also be constructed on the Raipur and Bilaspur sides of the city, highlighting Kawardha’s religious and cultural identity.
Deputy Chief Ministers Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma laid the foundation stone for the project at the new Mandi complex in Kawardha on Thursday. The four-lane road will begin near Chandrayaan Hospital, pass through the city and extend beyond Joratal. A central divider will also be developed as part of the project.
Grand gateways to reflect Kawardha’s identity
The proposed entrance gates will be designed to reflect Kawardha’s identity as a ‘Dharmanagari’, giving visitors a glimpse of the city’s religious and cultural heritage as they enter from the Raipur-Bilaspur routes.
On the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao announced additional development works worth ₹8 crore at the request of Vijay Sharma. These include ₹3.50 crore for a community hall and mutton market in Kawardha Municipality, ₹1.50 crore for market relocation in Nagar Panchayat Bodla, ₹1.50 crore for a Gaurav Path at Badhantola in Sahaspur Lohara and ₹1.50 crore for a sports ground in Nagar Panchayat Pipariya. Various road construction and repair works were also announced.
₹12,666 crore sanctioned for PWD works
Sao said the state government was working towards building a developed Chhattisgarh with a focus on basic infrastructure and public welfare. He said administrative sanctions worth ₹12,666 crore had been issued for Public Works Department projects during the past two-and-a-half years, with several projects already underway or completed.
He said development funds were being utilised to improve public infrastructure across the state, resulting in faster development from villages to cities.
Sao also highlighted various welfare measures of the state government, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, paddy procurement at ₹3,100 per quintal, payment of pending bonuses, the Mahtari Vandan Yojana and increased wages for tendu leaf collectors.
He said the government was also working towards eliminating Left Wing Extremism from the state and creating an environment conducive to development and peace.
₹140 crore development package for Kawardha
Vijay Sharma said development projects worth around ₹140 crore had been sanctioned for Kawardha, covering roads, education, urban infrastructure and religious-tourism sites.
The four-lane road project would be a major addition to the city’s infrastructure, he said. A Nalanda Complex is also being constructed at a cost of ₹4.5 crore, with round-the-clock library and digital library facilities.
The Ghotia Road, constructed at a cost of ₹10 crore, is intended to improve connectivity to the new bus stand. Funds of ₹1.46 crore have also been sanctioned for the development of the Bhoramdev complex.
Development works are also being undertaken around the pond complex, parks, fairground, Chherki Mahal, Ramchua and Sarodha areas, Sharma said.
Road and rail connectivity to get a boost
Sharma said the state government was giving equal priority to infrastructure development and delivery of welfare schemes. Road networks, education, healthcare and other basic amenities were being expanded, while efforts were being made to ensure that housing and other government schemes reached eligible families.
Kawardha MP Santosh Pandey said the two proposed entrance gates would serve as gateways to the city’s development. He said the four-lane project would improve connectivity and change the city’s landscape.
Pandey also highlighted ongoing and proposed infrastructure projects in the region, including the Katghora-Dongargarh railway line and road connectivity between Khairagarh, Kawardha and the Rajnandgaon region.
The foundation ceremony was attended by Zila Panchayat President Ishwari Sahu, Vice-President Kailash Chandravanshi, Municipal Council President Chandraprakash Chandravanshi, Rajendra Chandravanshi, Police Authority member Bhagat Patel, Collector Tulika Prajapati, Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav, other public representatives and a large number of citizens.
