NEW DELHI: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved four major national highway projects worth more than Rs 24,200 crore across Odisha, Telangana, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh to improve connectivity, ease congestion, reduce travel time and strengthen logistics infrastructure.
Briefing the media after the CCEA meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the projects are aligned with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan and are expected to boost economic activity, improve freight movement and enhance regional connectivity across key growth corridors.
Among the largest projects approved is the construction of a new coastal highway between Rameshwar and Paradip in Odisha at an estimated cost of Rs 8,300.79 crore.
The 160.18-km corridor, to be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), will pass through Khurda, Puri, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur districts.
“The project includes a four-lane stretch from Rameshwar to Konark and a two-lane carriageway with paved shoulders from Konark to Paradip,” the Minister said, adding that the highway will ease traffic pressure on existing routes, improve regional mobility and provide connectivity to nine economic nodes and five logistics nodes identified under the PM GatiShakti framework.
Travel time between Rameshwar and Paradip is expected to be reduced by nearly two-and-a-half hours, he noted while speaking in Odia.
In Telangana, the CCEA approved the four-laning of the Armoor–Jagtial–Mancherial section of NH-63 and the Jagtial–Karimnagar section of NH-563 at a total cost of Rs 7,597.16 crore.
The 190.76-km project will be implemented through a mix of HAM and Build Operate Transfer (Toll) models, the Minister said.
The upgraded corridor is expected to decongest key urban stretches across Nizamabad, Jagtial, Mancherial and Karimnagar districts while improving connectivity to five economic nodes, seven social nodes and 10 logistics hubs.
The government estimates that travel time between Armoor and Mancherial will be reduced by around 90 minutes, while the journey between Jagtial and Karimnagar could be shortened by 45 minutes.
The CCEA also approved the upgradation of the 143.53-km Khagaria–Purnea section of NH-31 and NH-231 in Bihar at a cost of Rs 3,936.05 crore under the BOT (Toll) model.
The project includes a 6.73-km greenfield bypass around Purnea city and is expected to improve road safety, reduce congestion and enhance connectivity across districts including Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Katihar and Purnea.
In Madhya Pradesh, the government approved highway upgrades on key stretches of NH-347B with an investment of Rs 4,415.60 crore under the HAM model.
The project involves upgrading the Hiwarkhedi–Roshni–Ashapur–Rudhy section into a two-lane highway with paved shoulders and widening the Deshgaon–Julwania stretch to four lanes.
The corridor, which passes through Betul, Khandwa, Khargone and Barwani districts, will also include a 16.2-km greenfield bypass in Khargone district.
According to the Minister, the project will improve connectivity to industrial centres, economic clusters, thermal power plants and logistics facilities while enhancing road safety and travel efficiency.
The government said all four projects would support faster freight movement, lower vehicle operating costs and reduced carbon emissions, while contributing to the country's broader logistics and infrastructure development goals.
