Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, July 10: The Centre Friday said it would build seven national highways in Orissa, with Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari announcing an investment of Rs 35,000 crore to be spent over five years for the ambitious project.
“Around 2,000 km of national highways including seven new projects of 1,260 km will be built by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI),” Gadkari said, while describing roads as paths to development of any region.
A national highway connecting Jajpur and Jagatsinghpur districts – the only two districts in the state not to have NH connectivity – will be built on a priority basis.
The seven NH projects are: Palasa-Parlakhemundi-Ramanaguda-Bissam Katak-Muniguda-Bhawanipatna-Khariar-Bangamunda-Patnagarh-Padmapur connecting Chhattisgarh (NH6, 400 km), Bhubaneswar-Athagarh-Shankarpur-Mahidharpur-Badkera (NH-42 junction, 150 km) Naranpur-Kaliahata-Kankadahada-Kamakhyanagar-Parjang-Badakamar-Khadagprasad (NH-42, 140 km), Cuttack-Chandbali-Dhamra-Bhadrak-Anandapur (190 km), Badkera-Hindol-Ganja-Daspallah-Bhanjanagar (120 km), Nayagarh-Saranpur-Jankia-Chandpur (130 km), Balangir-Patnagarh-Harishankar-Nrushinghanath-Paikamal-Nuapada (130 km).
The total length of NHs in the country is 97,000 km of which 4,639 km of NHs are in Orissa, Gadkari said.
Work on NH projects worth Rs 10,000 crore would begin before December and the remaining amount will be spent next year. “I have directed the NHAI to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) for the proposed projects,” he said. The Centre has also decided to construct 12 NH bypass roads in the state.
Gadkari further said his ministry is also constructing a 332-km waterways project (National Waterways-5) by linking five rivers: Baitarani, Birupa, Brahmani, Mahanadi and Budhabalang.
“As transportation of materials and goods through waterways is one-third cheaper than the roads and rails, the Centre has decided to construct five inland waterways on a priority basis,” Gadkari said, adding a Bill in this regard would be placed in the coming session of Parliament.
This apart, the road transport and highways ministry identified two NH projects under ‘Bharatmala’ and four NH projects aimed at bolstering connectivity to backward areas, religious and tourists places in the state.