BHUBANESWAR: Stalled for nearly a year after cancellation of tenders over revised alignment, the ambitious Rs 8,000 crore coastal highway project will be revived soon.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has submitted a fresh detailed project report (DPR) days after Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi discussed the pending and new highway projects with Union Roads and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari during his Delhi visit.
Sources said, the 346-km coastal highway divided into two parts has been proposed to be constructed in five packages. The 176-km stretch from Rameshwar (near Tangi) to Ratanpur and 170-km stretch from Ratanpur to Digha will be developed into a four-lane carriageway connecting seven coastal districts of Odisha under Bharatmala Pariyojana.
The NHAI had engaged STUP Consultants Pvt Ltd to prepare the DPR. The project was stalled after the locals opposed the alignment from Kakatpur to Erasama as it was proposed that the highway be built nearly 25 km away from the sea coast. The Ministry of Environment had also objected to the initial plan of constructing a bridge over Chilika lake.
Chief general manager of NHAI Odisha circle Veerendra Singh said a fresh alignment of the highway that will pass in the close proximity of the Bay of Bengal has been prepared after consultation with all stakeholders. “The proposal with the revised alignment has been sent to the ministry for approval. Tenders will be floated after the statutory clearances,” he told The New Indian Express.
Initially proposed to be constructed from Gopalpur to Digha through ecologically- sensitive Chilika, Balukhand wildlife sanctuary, Bhitarkanika sanctuary and some of the important Olive Ridley turtle nesting sites, the highway was shortened from 451 km to 346 km (Rameshwar to Digha) as per the revised alignment, skipping the eco-sensitive areas.
Earlier, the tenders were floated for the 47-km stretch from Rameshwar to Puri at a cost of Rs 1,436.39 crore, 44.6 km stretch from Puri to Kakatpur at a cost of Rs 1,297.60 crore and 42.6 km stretch from Erasama to Ratanpur at a cost of Rs 1,341.90 crore, which were cancelled last year pushing the project into uncertainty.
Meanwhile, the NHAI has urged the state government to provide around 400 hectare of non-forest land for diversion of forest land for several pending and upcoming national highway projects in the state.
Revival plan
Coastal highway to cover 346 km
Rameshwar to Ratanpur 176 km
Ratanpur to Digha 170 km
Entire stretch will be a four-lane carriageway
Fresh alignment to ensure close proximity to seashore