A 451-km-long coastal highway would be constructed in Odisha. The draft alignment of the road was discussed at a high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi at the State Secretariat on Saturday where National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) Member Anand Kumar Singh presented the draft proposal.
Padhi advised the NHAI to preserve the coastal character of the proposed highway. He also wanted that the tourism, commercial port and public benefit prospects should be kept in view while finalising the alignment of the highway.
The Chief Secretary emphasised that road safety should be given topmost priority while constructing the roads and the safety requirements as suggested by the district authorities be met immediately. Singh assured that the suggestions given by district Collectors would be complied with within a month.
Padhi also asked the NHAI to fix road signage indicators in Odia and English on all NHs passing through Odisha. Singh assured that it would be duly complied with.
The Chief Secretary told reporters that the issues relating to the Puri-Konark marine drive road, alignment at the Astarang Port, Jambu forest area, Bhitarkanika reserve forest, proposed ports, alignment of road at Satapada, bridge over the lake Chilika, etc., were also discussed and resoled.
NHAI Member Singh said, “Coastal NH is an ambitious programme of the Government of India and it will be developed as an economic and tourism corridor. The NHAI has prepared a draft project. Since the Government of Odisha is a major stakeholder in the project, the issues regarding its alignment were thoroughly discussed. The NHAI will make all efforts to finalise the alignment of the NH as per suggestions of the State.”
The proposed road would connect the places like Ratanpur-Satapada-Korak-Astrang-Chilika-Satabhaya-Dhamara-Basudevpur-Talapada-Chandipur-Chandaneswar–Digha. Out of the total length of 451 km, 29 km comes under Ganjam district, 153 km under Puri district, 54 km under Jagatsinghpur, 49 km under Kendrapada, 61 km under Bhandrak, 99 km under Baleswar and 6 km connecting east Medinipur in West Bengal.
More than 178 villages in all these districts would be connected by the road. There would be bridges over river Rushikulya, Palur sahib canal, Chilka lake, rivers Dhanikhiya, Nua, Khushabhadra, Kadua, Devi, Hansua, Mahanadi, Gobari, Patashala, Brahmani, Baitarani, Mantei, Panchapara, Dubdubi and Subarnarekha.
Besides, bypasses would be constructed near Bajrakote, Maludkhas, Brahmagiri, Rebana Nuagoan, Konark, Gagua, Jarimul, Gula, Basudevpur, Anantapur, Gopalpur, Rasalpur and Panchupali. The road would provide a boost to tourism and industrial activities in the region. It would also serve as a highway linkage to all ports in the State.