A day termed as ‘historic’ for Odisha saw Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi underscore a pivotal infrastructure milestone. The Chief Minister on Thursday proposed the 8-laning of the Bhubaneswar-Puri highway to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying and inauguration event attended by Union Minister Gadkari in Bhubaneswar, the CM stated that recent developments signal a transformative era for road communication links within the State, anticipating vast advancements upon completion of the planned projects.

The CM highlighted a significant upsurge in road development, which has accelerated from 14 Km per day to an impressive 100 Km. He acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to infrastructure and assured that state budgets reflect similar priorities.

Bhubaneswar-Puri service road

Presently, 20 bypasses and ring roads are under construction throughout Odisha.

The CM characterised the administration as a ‘double-engine’ Government, highlighting the cooperative efforts between State and Central governments, which have achieved progress within just 10 months.

Furthermore, there is a proposal to construct a service road between Puri and Bhubaneswar and to expand the Coastal Highway into a four-lane road.

Frontrunner in road infrastructure

Odisha is charting its path to become a frontrunner in road infrastructure. Coastal Highway and Capital Ring Road projects are to kick off soon, Works Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said on Wednesday.

Despite having secured financial approval for the coastal highway, administrative hurdles have delayed the tendering process. Works Minister Harichandan confirmed that the coastal highway and the capital region ring road projects are likely to begin soon.

Odisha, once ranked eighth in the country, is determined to ascend to the top position in road connectivity, according to Harichandan. There is a proposal to widen the roads from Bhubaneswar to Puri, Marine Drive road, and the Puri-Satapada route, including expansion of some four-lane roads to six lanes.

“We had placed a demand of around Rs 28,000 crore before the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry this year. The Union Minister is likely to announce a grant of at least Rs 9,000 crore during a programme,” the Works Minister said to mediapersons.