READ LATER
Facebook
Twitter
Telegram
Whatsapp
Google News
Representational image
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has reportedly pushed the Odisha government to expedite statutory approvals, particularly forest land diversion, for two long-delayed ring road projects worth Rs 7,500 crore.
The projects pertain to the 111-km Capital Region Ring Road (CRRR) around Bhubaneswar-Cuttack and the 35-km Sambalpur Ring Road, which have been stalled for over two years due to pending forest clearances.
Approved under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, the Rs 6,100-crore CRRR will serve as a six-lane access-controlled expressway, diverting long-haul traffic from NH-16 away from urban stretches like Khordha, Bhubaneswar, and Cuttack.
Notably, land acquisition for this project began in June 2022, with phased construction planned across three segments. Once operational, the project would ease congestion in the bustling capital region and satellite towns like Choudwar and Athagarh.
ALSO READ: Odisha signs MoU for palm oil cultivation; employment boost for Cuttack, Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur
The second of the two projects is the Rs 1,333-crore Sambalpur Ring Road, a four-lane greenfield corridor that will link 19 villages around the western Odisha city, requiring 290 hectares of land (170 hectares private, 120 hectares government).
In this case, while land acquisition is complete, forest clearances remain pending.
As per the latest reports, both projects face pushback over forest land diversion, with 120 hectares of government land in Sambalpur alone awaiting green nods.
Separately, the Odisha government unveiled a Rs 7,000-crore traffic overhaul for Bhubaneswar, including a 64-km inner ring road (Tamando to Paikrapur) and a 148-km outer ring road.
An elevated corridor from Jayadev Vihar to Nandankanan, three flyovers, and widened roads are also planned.
Get on Play Store
Get on App Store
