Coastal highway to connect 178 Odisha villages

BHUBANESWAR: A proposed coastal highway connecting Gopalpur in Odisha with Digha of West Bengal will provide road connectivity o 178 villages in Odisha. The matter came to light during a review meeting of the 451-km project, chaired by development commissioner R Balakrishnan here on Saturday. The road has been proposed to be constructed under Bhratmala Pariyojana of the central government at an estimated cost of Rs 5000 crore.
Dharmanada Sarangi, chief general manager (CGM) of Naitonal Highway Authority of India (NHAI), said the proposed alignment suggested that the road will pass through Chhatrapur, Satapada, Konark, Astaragnga, Nuagaon, Paradip, Ratanpur, Satabhaya, Dhamara, Basudevpur, Talapada, Chandipur, Chandaneswar and Digha.
Out of the total length of 451 km, 29 km will come under Ganjam district, 153 km come under Puri, 54 km under Jagatsinghpur, 49 km under Kendrapada, 61 km under Bhadrak, 99 km under Balasore district and 6 km connecting east Medinipur in West Bengal.
There would be bridges over river Rushikulya, Palur sahib canal, Chilka lake, river Dhanikhiya, Nua, Khushabhadra, Kadua, Devi, Hansua, Mahanadi, Gobari, Patashala, Brahmani, Baitarani, Mantei, Panchapara, Dubdubi and Subarnarekha, Sarangi said. Besides, bypasses would be constructed near Bajrakote, Maludkhas, Brahmagiri, Rebana Nuagoan, Konark, Gagua, Jarimul, Gula, Basudevpur, Anantapur, Gopalpur, Rasalpur and Panchupali.
The high-level meeting under the chairmanship of development commissioner considered the proposed alignment of the high way. Considering the proposal, the development commissioner. The development commissioner advised the NHAI to develop and use the existing roads wherever possible, bypass densely populated areas and avoid wild life sanctuaries and forest areas to the extent possible.
Two expert consultants have been engaged for preliminary survey and preparation of the detailed project report (DPR). The DPR is expected to be completed by February 2017.