The 300 km Paradip-Barbil road will be developed into an eight-lane integrated economic corridor. The proposed corridor will start from Paradip, pass through Chandikhol, Duburi, Keonjhar, Remuli and Badarsahi before ending at Barbil in Keonjhar district.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday proposed the project during a meeting with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in which Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was also present. The Chief Minister suggested that, in the interim, the option of 4-laning of the entire stretch with service roads can also be explored.
As per the discussion, the four-laning of 166 km Panikoili-Remuli section of NH-20 is almost over and the rest will be completed soon.A release issued by the Chief Minister’s office (CMO) maintained that the Union Minister assured to complete it within a year. Similarly, the four-laning of 43 km Remuli-Koida and 104 km Singara-Binjabahal NHs will be completed by June 2021. After completion of the four-laning work, steps will be taken for the eight-lane project.
The CMO stated that Gadkari assured all support for an early start to this ambitious project. The Chief Minister suggested meetings with the Union Minister once every two months and official-level meetings with the Centre every month to speed up the project.
The State is willing to be a partner and extend all support to this economic corridor, he said.Pradhan said that the corridor will play a big role in the development of Kalinga Nagar Steel Cluster. Besides strengthening the local economy, it will create huge employment opportunities for youths.
The Chief Minister also called for early completion of various ongoing NH projects in mineral rich Keonjhar district and their subsequent 8-laning. He said that Keonjhar is quite an important district for the State’s economy and the steel industry of the entire country. Some measures have been proposed in the Union budget to increase material availability for steel, he said.
Besides, Naveen proposed that there should be early solution to various issues relating to the Digha-Satapada coastal highway. He said the State government has given all necessary clearances for the project and it can be taken up immediately.
Pradhan said discussion was also held on alignment of the Rs 9,000 crore coastal highway project and the State government agreed to make all required arrangements while speeding up approvals. The project will boost tourism, pisci-culture, food processing industry and make goods transport easier, he said.
Issues of ports connectivity including Gopalpur, Subarnarekha, Astarang, Paradip and Dhamra were discussed. Among others, Ampani-Jeypore road, Bhubaneswar-Puri expressway and Raipur-Visakhapatnam road were also discussed.
Source: New Indian Express
