CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has directed National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to complete expansion of the NH-55 between Cuttack and Angul within two months.
The court issued the direction while hearing on Wednesday a PIL filed by a social activist Manoranjan Sahoo in 2022. Spanning 112 km, the project which is part of a broader plan/89 to improve road connectivity in Odisha was awarded during 2017-18 with a completion deadline of 2.5 years.
The division bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Arindam Sinha said, “The issue pertains to rehabilitation and upgradation of the National Highway between Cuttack and Angul. Several orders were passed from time to time in the instant PIL in pursuit of ensuring the timely completion of the aforesaid project.”
“It appears that the NHAI have assured the court that they would complete the entire stretch within a specified time but because of the unforeseen obstacles the adherence to the time limit could not be ensured. Now the NHAI has come up with the affidavit dated 18th March, 2025 that the entire stretch of the National Highway is expected to be completed by May, 2025,” the bench stated.
In the March 18 affidavit, NHAI said despite all the hurdles it is committed to complete the project at the earliest possible date. The project is expected to be completed by May, 2025.
Taking it on record, the bench said, “In view of the assurances have been given before this court, the NHAI is directed to complete the work within the time as expressed in the affidavit filed.” The matter will be next taken up on June 23.