Centre government approves Odisha highway projects

The Centre government approves four highway projects in Odisha, with DPRs to follow, thereby improving connectivity and increasing regional development.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways approve in principle the implementation out four highway projects costing ₹ 15,000 crore requested by the state government.Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, evaluated the status of 51 ongoing national highway projects in Odisha in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and state Works Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The review meeting includes discussions about projects in the amount of ₹21,650 crore.

The chief minister asks Gadkari to consider Odisha’s proposal for six-laning the 60-kilometer-long Bhubaneswar-Puri highway at a cost of ₹1,800 crore, 200 kilometres of Chandikhole-Barbil at ₹ 10,000 crore, four-laning the 54-kilometer-long Khurda-Nayagarh (NH-57) at a cost of ₹1,100 crore, and four-laning the 46-kilometer-long Kesinga-Junagarh (NH-26) at a cost of ₹1,000 crore. It concludes that the ministry would take steps to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) for the four projects. The chief minister informed Gadkari that ₹2,500 crore has been sanctioned for the two-laning of the 246-kilometer Koraput-Podamari project (NH-326), ₹ 500 crore has been disbursed this year under the Central Roads and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF), and additional funds will be sanctioned as needed.

He added that ₹ 250 crore has been set aside under the Setu Bandhan Yojana, and the state will submit DPRs totalling ₹3,400 crore for the development of NH projects in the state. Majhi has asked the Union minister to investigate the feasibility of ten NH projects. The chief minister described the 969-kilometer Motu-Tiringi Atal Motorway, which passes through nine districts, as the backbone of Odisha. According to him, the project, which is projected to cost ₹15,000 crore, will offer a connection between west and east. He also proposed the Jharsuguda-Balasore highway project (383 km) at a projected price of ₹7,500 crore, Nuapada-Astaranga (491 km) at ₹ 9,500 crore, Brundababahal-Gopalpur (357 km) at ₹6,800 crore, and Sambalpur-Satabhaya (404 km) at ₹ 5,477 crore to Gadkari.

The Centre is being wanted to explore a proposal to six-lane the Bhubaneswar National Highway, a key infrastructure project. The Setu Bandhan Yojana has allocated ₹ 250 crore to support this initiative. Furthermore, the state plans to submit Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of ₹3,400 crore for the development of various National Highway projects. One of the important initiatives is the Motu-Tiringi Atal Motorway, which is intended to serve as a vital link between the Western and Eastern areas.

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