BHUBANESWAR : The Odisha government has planned to construct 15,000 km of roads in the next three years of which 6,500 km would be ready in 2025-26, Works minister Prithiviraj Harichandan informed on Monday.
Speaking to the media after a review meeting on major state and national highway road projects and bridges here, Harichandan said the proposed road projects would entail a cost of Rs 2 lakh crore.
This apart, he said, the government will introduce the Odisha State Highways Authority Bill-2025 in the current session of the Assembly to create an autonomous body to expedite the road projects in the state. The Bill had received assent of the state cabinet on March 21. The proposed authority will be created on the lines of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for execution of the state’s roads projects in time-bound manner.
The state government has set an ambitious target to develop around 75,000 km roads and planned some key road projects like Atal Expressway linking Motu in Malkangiri to Tiring in Mayurbhanj and six road corridors - Jharsuguda-Balasore, Nuapada-Astarang, Brundabahal-Gopalpur, Berhampur-Jeypore, Jeypore-Rourkela and Rourkela-Jaleswar. These roads will be made six-lane highways, the minister said.
The government has proposed a massive Greater Ring Road project to improve connectivity across the state. The project involves Berhampur-Jeypore (287 km) at an approximate cost of Rs 9,000 crore, expansion of two-lane road between Jeypore and Rourkela to six-lane involving Rs 2,500 crore and upgrading 176 km stretch from Rourkela to Jaleswar from two-lane to four-lane at an estimated cost of Rs 2,200 crore.