Tapobhumi Update: NHAI Confirms a Fix Plan After Dewas-Badnawar Highway Wrong-Side Problem Found in Ujjain
If you are driving into Ujjain from Dewas or Badnawar, the last two kilometres are worth planning for. A Bhaskar investigation published on 17 October found that vehicles arriving from Dewas are directed onto the wrong side of the service road of the Indore-Ujjain six-lane highway at Tapobhumi Junction, and must pass underneath the flyover to reach the city. An earlier arrival will save you an hour of uncertain driving before you even reach your hotel.
What the investigation found
Bhaskar English reported that the issue lies in the design of the Dewas-Badnawar Highway, built at a cost of ₹1,352 crore for Simhastha. Two agencies built it: GR Infraprojects for the 69.1-km Ujjain-Badnawar stretch and Gawar Construction for the 41.42-km Dewas-Ujjain stretch, during the tenure of then project director ML Poorbia, now posted in Guwahati.
The highway joins the service road directly on the Indore Road side, but no direct connection was built for traffic coming from Dewas towards Ujjain, and traffic from Badnawar is similarly not linked straight to Indore Road. A motorist from Dewas must therefore either drive about 100 metres against the flow of traffic to reach a crossing, or take the service road and go under the six-lane flyover.
The engineering explanation
Engineers quoted by Bhaskar say the plan was prepared in 2019-20, when there was no proposal to widen the Indore-Ujjain road to six lanes, so the design assumed the existing road would stay four lanes. A retired Public Works Department engineer suggested a trumpet interchange or loop ramp as the fix: a T-shaped layout with a circular ramp of about 270 degrees, joining the other road through a flyover instead of cutting across oncoming traffic.
What NHAI has said
Shivam Sharma, NHAI project director in Ujjain, acknowledged the need to connect vehicles arriving from Dewas to the Ujjain route of the six-lane highway, particularly during the traffic surge expected for Simhastha. He said a plan is being prepared.
Tapobhumi Junction is not new to the administration. In July, Divisional Commissioner Asheesh Singh and Collector Raushan Kumar Singh inspected the junction with NHAI, MPRDC, PWD and Revenue officials and directed them to prepare a traffic circulation plan for pilgrims arriving from Indore, Bhopal and Badnawar, as reported by the Free Press Journal.
What is not confirmed yet
No fix has been approved, no date or cost announced, and no diversion for Tapobhumi has been published. We found no official NHAI or district release beyond the acknowledgement above.
What this means for your drive in
Treat Tapobhumi as a slow zone rather than a straight run into the city, avoid the morning and evening peaks when buses and tempo travellers mix with local traffic, and keep a buffer if you plan a darshan slot right after arrival. From Badnawar, the missing direct link to Indore Road means the same kind of merge is involved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the wrong-side problem at Tapobhumi? A: Vehicles from Dewas towards Ujjain are directed onto the wrong side of the Indore-Ujjain six-lane service road and must pass under the flyover, according to a Bhaskar English investigation published on 17 October 2026.
Q: Has the highway authority fixed it? A: Not yet. NHAI project director Shivam Sharma told Bhaskar English the connection is needed for the Simhastha surge and that a plan is being prepared. No date, cost or approved design has been announced.
Q: Why was the road designed this way? A: Engineers quoted by Bhaskar English say the plan was drawn up in 2019-20, before any proposal existed to widen the Indore-Ujjain road to six lanes, so the design assumed a four-lane road.
Q: Will this affect Simhastha travel? A: It is a risk rather than a confirmed closure. Tapobhumi has already been inspected for a pilgrim traffic plan, and NHAI has acknowledged the connection is needed for the Simhastha surge. Allow extra time and watch for an official diversion notice.
Timing your arrival
If your Ujjain stay starts with a darshan or a ghat visit, plan to clear the junction an hour early. Our team at Shrim Tours & Travels can map pickup windows around Dewas, Ujjain Junction and Indore Road so a highway quirk does not eat into your first day of pilgrimage. Reach us at http://tours.shrimmaya.com/.
This story is based on an investigation by Bhaskar English published on 17 October 2026, with background on the Tapobhumi junction inspection from the Free Press Journal. Read the original report at https://www.bhaskarenglish.in/local/mp/ujjain/news/dewas-badnawar-highway-wrong-side-traffic-simhastha-bottleneck-ujjain-139394752.html
