Gwalior fastest-growing city in MP: Scindia

Gwalior, July 30 (AHN) Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said Gwalior has emerged as one of Madhya Pradesh’s fastest-growing cities, with major improvements in road and air connectivity laying the foundation for it to become a leading industrial and telecom manufacturing hub.

Speaking at Vigyan Bhawan after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Department of Telecommunications and the Madhya Pradesh government’s Department of Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion for setting up India’s first Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) in Gwalior, Scindia said the city’s infrastructure has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years.

“Gwalior today is connected by air to Delhi, Bengaluru and several other major cities. Road connectivity from all directions has improved significantly. The upcoming Rs 5,500-crore Gwalior–Agra Expressway will reduce travel time between Delhi and Gwalior to nearly three hours,” he said.

Scindia added that better connectivity has made Gwalior an attractive destination for industries and investors, creating the right ecosystem for large manufacturing projects. He said the MoU marks the beginning of India’s first Telecom Manufacturing Zone, to be developed over nearly 350 acres on a plug-and-play model. The project is expected to attract investments of around Rs 3,500 crore and create more than 14,000 direct and indirect jobs.

He said the zone would strengthen Gwalior’s industrial base and boost India’s telecom manufacturing capabilities, encouraging domestic production of telecom equipment and supporting the country’s self-reliance efforts.

Describing the project as a major step towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India, Digital India and Viksit Bharat 2047, Scindia said Gwalior is set to play an important role in India’s next phase of industrial growth.

“This is not merely an industrial project but the foundation of India’s technological future. It is a shining example of cooperative federalism, with the Centre and the Madhya Pradesh government working together to establish a project of national importance,” he said.

Scindia expressed confidence that the Telecom Manufacturing Zone would firmly establish Gwalior as one of India’s leading electronics and telecom manufacturing centres, while strengthening Madhya Pradesh’s position on the country’s industrial map.