BJP-BJD slugfest erupts over Coastal Highway, NH-55 in Odisha

A political slugfest erupted on Wednesday between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over the issue of the proposed coastal Highway, snail-paced construction of the Cuttack-Angul-Sambalpur NH-55 and Capital Ring road projects. 

The ruling party has trained its gun on some BJP leaders over the issue and warned of taking to the streets over the issue in the coming days.

Addressing a presser here, BJD spokesperson, Lenin Mohanty alleged that several people are dying in accidents due to the deplorable condition of the Cuttack-Angul-Sambalpur National Highway (NH) work. Holding the BJP government at the Centre responsible for such miserable state of the NH, Mohanty said that a Union minister belongs to the district where the NH-55 is passing, but not step is being taken to hasten its work.

As for the coastal highway, the BJD leader alleged that the Central government announced Rs 8000 crore coastal highway project, but it has not made much headway except for some brickworks. 

A ring road was announced in April 2022 for the state capital and the Odisha government was ready to provide land for the project, but the same has been left stuck under official files, alleged BJD.

Countering the charges, BJP spokesperson, Anil Biswal said that the Odisha government is responsible for the delay in progress of the Cuttack-Angul-Sambalpur NH. 

“The NH work is getting delayed mainly because the state government and it has intentionally created hurdles in the land acquisition process while the lack of forest clearance for a patch of the land has been another major roadblock for the project,” said Biswal.

Biswal also pointed out that the Coastal Highway project is hanging fire as the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project was revised thrice. The state government did not want the Coastal Highway and it pressurised the central government to change the DPR repeatedly, which led to the delay.

According to Biswal, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government has provided Rs 28,000 crore to Odisha for the construction of highways in the last 9 years. 

Meanwhile, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi and discussed about the completion of the Cuttack-Angul-Sambalpur NH and the Ring Road project. The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways has assured Pradhan of the necessary steps to hasten the work.