New Delhi: Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari at his office in the national capital and raised several issues which are allegedly hampering several projects in the state.
During his meeting with Gadkari, the Chief Minister mainly raised five issues which were related to pending works on National Highways, Khandgiri and Gohira Chakka flyovers delays,, declaration of 12 approved roads as National Highways and proposal to approve 30 state roads as NHs.
During his meeting with Gadkari at the Ministry of Transport here, Patnaik told the minister that the railway over bridge near Chandanpur and the 9-km by-pass of Puri from Mangalahat to Sterling Resort was supposed to be completed before the Nabakalebara 2015 but it is still hanging fire due to delay in tenders.
The CM also asked Gadkari to expedite works on the Remuli-Rajamunda on NH-215, finalise tenders for NH works which include works like 4-laning of Cuttack-Angul highway, Barkote-Panposh highway, Chandikhole-Duburi-Talcher section and 6-laning of Chandikhole-Balasore highway.
Citing several terrible road accidents, the Chief Minister asked Gadkari to expedite the works relating to construction of a flyover at Khandgiri in Bhubaneswar which he claimed is yet to start and requested him to finalise the tender works to proceed ahead. He also asked Gadkari to construct early the flyover at Gohira Chakka leading to Info-valley-II near Khurda on NH-16.
In another set of demands to the Union minister, the CM asked for declaring 12 approved roads as NHs for which the Centre had earlier given nod. They cover a length of 1193.3 km in the state. The CM also requested Gadkari to consider the proposal of approving 30 state roads as NHs which cover a length of 2483 km.
Gadkari assured the CM that priority would be accorded to the pending works on the national highway projects in the state and steps would be taken towards finalization of tenders for the approved projects.
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