Kalakund To Get Four Bridges, Construction Set To Begin This Year

A weekend picnic and jungle camping destination is being developed at Kalakund, located 20 km from Indore. Known for its natural surroundings, quiet tribal villages and the distinctive sweet kalakand, the area is being developed as an ideal tourism village with facilities for tourists and better access for local residents.

The Madhya Pradesh Rural Road Development Authority, or MPRRDA, has completed the construction of an approximately 10 km road in the area. The road was built while protecting the dense forests, which are rich in forest medicinal plants. According to General Manager Shri Lokendra Mandloi, the road construction work was completed in 2024.

However, the absence of bridges over the river has remained a major obstacle for the area. The hilly river has caused several accidents, and tourists often avoid visiting the region because of the difficulty in crossing the route, especially during the rainy season.

Collector Shri Shivam Verma had held a night chaupal in the village on 30 May. During the meeting, the construction of bridges over the river emerged as the first and most important demand raised by the villagers. The administration began the tender process to fulfil this demand and has now reached a stage where construction of the bridges can begin this year.

The plan is to construct 4 bridges over the river. MPRRDA has said that the tender process for the 4 bridges has been completed and that construction work will be started this year.

The bridges are expected to improve connectivity for both tourists and residents. The area lies among the hills of the Vindhyachal mountain range, where more than 7 tribal villages have more than 20 homestays. A large number of tourists visit these villages to experience rural life and the local surroundings.

Tourists already arrive in the area by heritage train from Patalpani. But those travelling in their private four-wheelers or two-wheelers are unable to reach the villages during the rainy season because there are no bridges. During the rains, the tribal residents also lose their road connection with the city.

Once the bridges are built, a large population will be able to use the road route as another travel option. The improved access will also support the development of the area as a weekend picnic and jungle camping destination.

Kalakund’s traditional sweet is another major attraction. Several cow and buffalo rearers in Kalakund village are involved in making kalakand. The sweet is prepared in the traditional manner using pure cow and buffalo milk and less sugar. Its grainy texture and soft consistency make it a sweet that melts in the mouth.

The government and administration have been making long-term efforts to develop the village as an ideal tourism village. The year-round road has already been built while protecting the dense forests and forest medicinal plants in the region. The proposed bridges are expected to strengthen the road network without affecting the area’s natural setting.

The construction will also make it easier for residents of 8 villages located in the hills to reach the health centre, schools, anganwadis and ration shops. The hilly Choral river can block the route whenever it rains, repeatedly disrupting movement in the area.

A divisional Scout Guide camping centre has also been built here. With better road connectivity, the centre is expected to be used more effectively. The proposed bridges, along with the existing heritage train route from Patalpani, will provide tourists with more than one way to reach the region while improving everyday access for the surrounding tribal villages.