New Coastal Highway Approved to Boost Odisha’s Connectivity
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given the green light for the construction of a new coastal highway in Odisha. Stretching over 160.18 km from Rameshwar to Paradeep, the project will be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) with a total investment of Rs. 8300.79 crore.
This new highway will traverse through the Khurda, Puri, Kendrapada, and Jagatsinghpur districts. It will enhance connectivity along these regions by integrating with the existing NH-16, which is a crucial part of the Golden Quadrilateral and currently serves as a 6-lane highway running through major urban areas like Khordha, Bhubaneswar, and Cuttack.
Current road conditions on the Puri–Satapada and Puri–Konark stretches create challenges for long-distance traffic due to poor geometry and high local commuter congestion. The new highway aims to resolve these issues by featuring a 4-lane configuration from Rameshwar to Konark (Package-1) and a 2-lane stretch with paved shoulders from Konark to Paradeep (Package-2). This design will support a travel speed of 100 km/h and improve travel efficiency across the affected districts.
Significant Economic and Environmental Benefits
Aligned with the PM GatiShakti principles, this initiative is expected to connect nine economic nodes and five logistic nodes, thereby enhancing the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) of the nation. Upon completion, travel time between Rameshwar and Paradeep is projected to decrease by about 2 hours and 30 minutes, benefiting both passenger and freight traffic.
In addition to reduced travel times, the highway is expected to diminish fuel consumption and carbon emissions, while also lowering vehicle operating costs. These improvements reflect a significant step toward sustainable transportation in the region.
Project Details at a Glance
The project will adopt a concession period of 17.5 years, which includes 2.5 years for construction and an additional 15 years for operation and maintenance. Expected employment generation from this project is noteworthy, with up to 53.61 lakh man-days of direct and 67.01 lakh man-days of indirect employment opportunities anticipated.
Key project specifics include:
- **Rameshwar-Konark 4-lane Highway**: Total length of 79.40 km, with civil costs estimated at Rs. 5304.80 crore.
- **Konark-Paradeep 2-lane Highway**: Total length of 80.78 km, with civil costs totalling Rs. 2995.99 crore.
The new coastal highway promises to be a transformative development for Odisha, bolstering regional mobility and socio-economic growth.
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