BHUBANESWAR: The State government has set a new target to complete the 167 km stretch of the Panikoili-Rimuli section of NH-20 by June this year, which had already been delayed by nine years. The national highway project which was progressing at a snail's pace since 2013, has been expedited as one side of the Belabahali bridge was opened to traffic from first week of January 2022.
Informing about the progress of NH projects in the State to a high-level joint review meeting by the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways and the State government, Works Secretary Krishan Kumar said while the Panikoili-Rimuli section of NH-20 was expedited, development of Rimuli-Koida section of NH-520 has made substantial progress.
The target to start commercial operations on this road has been set for March, 2022. Four-laning of the Panikoili-Rimuli section of the national highway started on May 2, 2013 and was scheduled to be completed by October 28, 2015.
While the Singhara-Binjabahal section of NH-49 also made significant progress, with provisional commercial operation certificate against this road was issued on January 19, 2022 and tolling operations have started, Kumar added.
He highlighted the industrial and commercial potentials of the proposed Paradeep-Barbil economic corridor including importance of the road for evacuation of ever increasing quantum of minerals.
The meeting jointly chaired by MoRTH Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra reviewed 38 NH projects running over 5753 km through the State. Of this, 19 roads of 2,920 km length was managed by NHAI, and other 19 roads of 2,833 km was maintained by Works department of the State.
A total length of 5,753 km of NH, around 243 km were developed to 6-lane, 1,486 km to 4-lane, 1,934 km to 2-lane with paved shoulder, 1,257 km to two-lane and around 834 km were developed to single or intermediate lane, Additional Director General of NHAI Dharmananda Sadangi, explained.
He said that 20 projects of worth Rs 15,015 crore for improvement of around 901 km of road were taken up by NHAI.