BHUBANESWAR: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has accorded approval to upgradation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of a number of projects in seven states including Odisha. Three projects worth Rs 488 crore have been approved in the State. The approved projects included a bypass on NH-59 for Berhampur city, railway over bridge (RoB) on Puri-Konark road and five submersible bridges on Malkangiri-Motu NH-326.
While the NH-59 bypass, including four-lane RoBs on Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) mode, has been approved with a budget Rs 196.94 crore, the RoB at Matiapada on Puri-Konark Road to be built on EPC mode has been approved at a cost of Rs 137.61 crore. Similarly, five submersible bridges would be reconstructed on the Malkangiri-Motu NH-326 at an estimated cost of Rs 154.05 crore.
The submersible bridges will replace the high level bridges on the national highway.Union PNG and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari for extending ‘Pragati Ka Highway’ to Odisha.Responding to a tweet by Gadkari on the approved projects, Pradhan said the road-infra upgrades will help reduce traffic congestion, enhance transport and herald new opportunities of growth and development.