Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari virtually inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 28 NH projects (national highway) in Odisha, with a total investment of Rs 6,600 crore.
The projects include a 79km four-lane road between Baharagora and Singhara on NH-49, costing Rs 1,203 crore, and a 78km six-lane road from Chandikhol to Bhadrak on NH-16, valued at Rs 2,035 crore.
Gadkari also laid the foundation stones for 26 other road infrastructure projects in the state. He highlighted the significant progress in national highway development in Odisha since 2014, with the total length increasing from 4,639 km to 5,753 km.
The ministry has allocated nearly Rs 1.50 lakh crore for highway development in Odisha. Projects for another 1,312 km of national highways, with an investment of Rs 22,000 crore, are underway and expected to be completed during 2024-25.
The ministry is also preparing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the construction of 746 km of roads with an estimated cost of Rs 60,000 crore.
Gadkari announced plans for various projects, including a 111km greenfield ring road around Bhubaneswar city, costing Rs 6,253 crore.
Additionally, a 35km four-lane greenfield ring road will be constructed in Sambalpur at a cost of Rs 1,333 crore, with work scheduled to begin in October 2024.
The minister emphasized the government’s focus on infrastructure development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that by the end of this year, Odisha’s national highway network will resemble roads in the USA.
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