Odisha State Road Policy 2025 gets cabinet nod; govt to create 75000 km world-class road network

The Odisha Cabinet, in a significant move, has approved the ‘Odisha State Road Policy 2025’ to ensure an effective implementation and monitoring of the state's road network. The policy has been designed to create a well-structured and high-quality road network that facilitates safe, sustainable, and efficient transportation for both people and goods.

Key Features of Odisha State Road Policy 2025

The newly approved policy aims to provide a structured framework for the development of road infrastructure in the state. Some of its major highlights include:

Interdepartmental Transfer of Roads: Clear guidelines will be established to ensure smooth administrative transfers of roads among various departments for better management.

Efficient Land Management: Proper allocation of land for road infrastructure, ensuring its sustainable and regulated use, along with regular monitoring.

Enhanced Road Safety: Implementation of advanced safety measures to reduce accident rates and fatalities on Odisha’s road network.

Strengthening Institutional Capacity: The policy aims to enhance the capacity of road infrastructure organizations in areas such as planning, design, procurement, construction, maintenance, and project management.

Bridge Infrastructure Development: Special attention will be given to the development of bridges across the state to improve connectivity.

Introduction of the Comprehensive Online Bridge Information System (BIS)

As part of the policy, the government will develop a Comprehensive Online Bridge Information System (BIS) to store all vital data related to bridges across the state. The system will ensure proper documentation and assessment of all bridges through modern evaluation techniques, and annual condition assessments will be conducted. The evaluation reports will be regularly updated on BIS and the Odisha Road Asset Management System to maintain transparency and efficiency in infrastructure management.

Major Road Development Goals and Vision

To boost Odisha’s economic development, the government has set an ambitious target of developing a 75,000 km world-class road network. This initiative will focus on enhancing road connectivity, ensuring smooth transportation, and supporting large-scale infrastructure projects across the state.

Formation of the Odisha State Highways Authority

In another major decision, the Cabinet approved the "Odisha State Highways Authority Bill-2025". This bill paves the way for the establishment of an autonomous body named the Odisha State Highways Authority, which will be responsible for the overall development and management of major road projects across the state.

This newly formed authority will play a crucial role in accelerating the implementation of large-scale road projects, ensuring faster approvals, efficient execution, and enhanced maintenance mechanisms.