ROURKELA: A proposed inter-state economic corridor linking Ranchi, Rourkela and Raipur (RRR) is gaining traction, with improved industrial connectivity expected to reshape trade and investment flows across Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
The corridor is anchored by two key road projects, the under-construction Raipur–Ranchi–Dhanbad Expressway under the Bharatmala Pariyojana and the proposed 156-km Rourkela–Ranchi highway.
The Raipur–Ranchi–Dhanbad Expressway is designed to link the coal belt and major industrial towns of Raipur, Bilaspur, Korba and Jashpur in Chhattisgarh with Ranchi, Bokaro and Dhanbad in Jharkhand, boosting industrial growth, trade and regional connectivity.
Similarly, the proposed Rourkela–Ranchi highway aims to provide direct connectivity between the mining and industrial hubs of western Odisha, including Rourkela, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Angul, and key industrial centres of Jharkhand such as Jamshedpur, Patratu, Bokaro and Dhanbad.
The corridor drew increased attention after the Industries department highlighted its potential to strengthen regional economic collaboration at the recent 25th CII Enterprise Odisha 2026 summit.
Additional chief secretary to Industries department Hemant Sharma said an analysis of industrial investments in Odisha indicates that growth in northern districts has largely been driven by investments from West Bengal, while southern districts, along with Khurda and Cuttack, have attracted the highest investments from Andhra Pradesh. “We are now looking at western Odisha as a new growth axis through the corridor, which could attract more investments and spur development across the region,” Sharma said. He added that the participation of 25 business delegates from Raipur and 15 from Ranchi at the event signals growing interest in the corridor.
Sharma said the corridor could significantly widen development opportunities and enable western Odisha to grow in tandem with neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Emphasising Rourkela’s importance, he noted that the city hosts the country’s first modern public sector steel plant and stressed the need to preserve its industrial legacy while driving further growth.