Demanding National Highway (NH) tag for New Jagannath Sadak connecting Rameswar, Nirakarpur and Chandanpur Member of Parliament, Aparajita Sarangi on Sunday wrote a letter to Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India.
The MP pointed out how important the New Jagannath Sadak has been for Western and Southern Odisha as well as the States of Western India for connection with Puri and other coastal areas of Odisha.
Sharing the news on Twitter, the MP wrote, “Many residents of Khurda region of my Bhubaneswar Constituency had requested for converting New Jagannath Sadak: Rameswar- Nirakarpur-Chandanpur into National Highway. This route is important for Western & Southern Odisha. Wrote to Minister @nitin_gadkari today. Will meet & pursue.”
The letter read, “Dear Sir, most respectfully, I am to bring to your kind knowledge that Rameswar- Nirakarpur-Chandanpur New Jagannath Sadak qualifies for being declared as National Highway.”
“In 2016, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had reportedly approved the 40kms, stretch as National Highway in principle, but the stretch has yet to get the NH status formally.”
“I am to submit here that the New Jagannath Sadak is an important route for Western and Southern Odisha as well as for the States of Western India for connection with Puri and other coastal areas of Odisha.”
“Therefore, I will be grateful if the request of thousands of people of the area for declaration of New Jagannath Sadak as National Highway be allowed by your esteemed office.”
The New Jagannath Sadak is the road to Jagannath Dham in Puri with a total of 96km covering three major districts of Puri, Khurda and Nayagarh.
Inaugurated by Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, former CM, Odisha in 1996, the road is made from concrete because the road passes through the maximum flood areas. Although, Nitin Gadkari had declared it as a National Highway, but the stretch is yet to get NH tag formally.