Odisha Works Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan, on Wednesday, announced that the Union Finance Ministry has approved Rs 8,300 crore for the construction of the Rameshwar-Paradip coastal highway in the state.
Harichandan, speaking to reporters in Bhubaneswar, confirmed that the Appraisal Committee of the Ministry of Finance has approved both the route alignment from Rameshwar to Paradip and approved Rs 8,300 crore for the purpose.
He stated that the next step is approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), after which the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will float the construction tender. The Minister added that the project’s land acquisition is already 60 to 70 per cent complete.
The coastal highway will be constructed as a four-lane road between Rameshwar and Konark, transitioning to a two-lane road from Konark to Paradip.
Harichandan explained that the 346-km coastal highway will eventually connect Digha in West Bengal to Rameshwar in Odisha’s Khorda district, with the currently approved 160 km up to Paradip forming the first phase.
He attributed the years-long delay of the project to multiple alignment changes under the previous BJD government.
However, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty criticised the current plan, stating that the highway was originally envisioned as entirely four-lane, but it has been reduced to two lanes in certain sections, which shows the present government’s developmental priorities.
“Downgrading the scope may result in greater environmental, social, and economic costs later,” he said.
“The BJD will not rest until the coastal highway is delivered in its full capacity. The party will continue to fight for timely, resilient, and inclusive infrastructure,” he added.
