Odisha completes three major roads in one year

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has completed three major roads within a year and is committed to finish construction of the Rs 3,200 crore Biju Expressway by June 2019, officials today said.

The issue was discussed at the state level empowered committee meeting held here under the chairmanship of chief secretary A P Padhi.

Works secretary N K Pradhan said within the last one year, State Highway No-16 stretching over 86 km from Bhwanipatna in Kalahandi district to Khariar in Nuapada district has been completed and opened to traffic.

The project cost was Rs 115 crore for the road, he said.

Similarly, four bridges over river Tel have been completed and opened to traffic with a total expenditure of Rs 32 crore. 41 km of road from Berhampur to Taptapani built at a cost of around Rs 95 crore has also been completed and opened to traffic within a year.

Asked about the Cuttack-Chandbali state road, Pradhan said, substantial progress has been made in construction of the road from Jagatpur to Nischintakoili (25 km) and Nischintakoili-Duhuria (24 km) at an estimated expenditure of Rs 205 crore.

The work package from Chandbali to Kendrapara (56.5km) estimated at around Rs 170 crore has been expedited with 16 km nearing completion, Pradhan said adding, the road work from Bhadrakh to Pirahat (27.5 km) and Pirahat to Chandbali (17.5 km) is under rapid progress.

"Around Rs 174 crore has been invested in all these works during last one year from July, 2016 to May, 2017. The state road project plan was prepared including these nine roads," Pradhan said.

Pradhan also appraised that the construction of Biju Expressway stretching over 656 km from Rourkela to Chandili has been expedited and required funds for the project has been provided by the state government.

The project cost has been estimated at around Rs 3,200 crore, Pradhan said adding, this road project envisaged by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been planned as an economic corridor between Jagdalpur and Rourkela.

Biju Expressway is expected to connect the districts in the western quadrant with the ones in the south. The road will connect Bargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Sundargarh with KBK's Koraput, Nabrangpur, Kalahani and Nuapada districts.

The road from Rourkela to Nuapada of over 355 km long will be made a four lane one and the balance road from Nuapada to Chandili connecting Jagdalpur of Chhattisgarh will be made two lane.

"Till now, the road from Rourkela to Sambalpur is nearing completion and expected to be commissioned by December, 2017. Work in the rest portion has been expedited to for completion by June, 2019," Pradhan added.