Following a political tug-of-war and debates, an alignment for the Coastal Highway in Odisha has been finalised by the State Government and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The Works Department approved the plan of NHAI and informed the latter about its consent on Saturday. This was done after State Government and NHAI officials discussed in detail about the project recently at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary SC Mahapatra. The 382-km-long highway would pass through Tangi (NH-16), Brahmagiri, Puri, Konark, Astarang, Naugaon, Paradip Port, Ratanpur, Satabhaya, Dhamra, Basudevpur, Talapada, Chandipur and Chandaneswar and Digha (West Bengal). The alignment has been proposed mostly as green field avoiding forests, Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhitarkanika National Park so as to minimise the environmental impact of it. Earlier, highway had been proposed from Gopalpur then to Satapada across Chilika lake.
Now, it would start from Tangi (NH-16) avoiding eco-sensitive Chilika lake.The State Government has asked NHAI to include NH from Brahmagiri to Satapada inproject. Further, adequate cross drainage structures should be provided to allow passage or runoff. The Works Department has urged NHAI to consult State Water Resources Department during design phase of highway project.