Berhampur-Jeypore six-lane expressway hits planning woes; Odisha to take up matter with Indian Railways

The Berhampur–Jeypore Expressway (BJEW), planned as a six-lane greenfield corridor with parallel rail connectivity, has run into serious technical and environmental hurdles, with the Eastern Ghats posing a formidable challenge to its execution.

According to The New Indian Express, the rugged terrain and extensive forest cover along the proposed alignment can potentially increase both the project’s cost and complexity. Notably, the 287-km expressway is proposed as part of Odisha’s high-speed transport network and is one of the government’s priority projects.

Difficult Terrain Raises Concerns

According to preliminary assessments, nearly 230 km of the proposed alignment passes through the hilly belts of the Eastern Ghats.

The current plan allows for a right of way (RoW) of 80 metres, but the inclusion of a parallel railway line would require expanding it to 200 metres, which is a change that would drastically magnify engineering difficulties and forest diversion requirements.

The TNIE reports also added that an 80-metre RoW would involve the diversion of around 717 acres of reserve forest land. Expanding it to 200 metres, however, could demand clearance for nearly 2,000 acres.

The land acquisition requirement would also rise proportionately, from around 5,673 acres to nearly two and a half times that figure, leading to large-scale rehabilitation and resettlement issues. Further, changes in the land plan can also risk landslides.

During a recent review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, it was decided that the proposed alignment would be shared with the Indian Railways for a detailed feasibility and design study.

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Part of State’s Broader Highway Expansion Push

In parallel, the State government is also working on several urban expressways to address growing vehicular congestion. Among them is the proposed Rasulgarh–Raghunathpur expressway in Bhubaneswar.

The plans call for a four-lane corridor intended to ease traffic between Patia, Chandaka, and Infocity, and reduce dependence on the overcrowded Jayadev Vihar–Nandankanan route.

The Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation (OBCC) has been tasked with preparing feasibility and design reports for both the Berhampur–Jeypore and Rasulgarh–Raghunathpur projects.