Odisha is anticipated to obtain a Special Economic Corridor, which will be built from Paradip to Bhadrasahi-Barbil, taking into account the area’s business potential. The creation of this economic corridor will help the state’s mineral transportation move more quickly.
The state has seen significant improvements in the construction of both national and state highways in recent years. The 38 NH has a total length of 5,753 kilometres and passes through 30 districts in Odisha. The National Highways Authority manages 19 of these, totaling 2,920 kilometres, while the state government’s Department of Public Works and Construction manages the remaining 2,833 kilometres.
Meanwhile, with the state’s industrialization increasing and the number of steel plants increasing, a special economic corridor from Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district to Barabil in Kendujhar district is required. Suresh Mohapatra, chief secretary, said during a virtual joint review meeting of NH projects at Lokseva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar.
Giridhar Araman, Secretary, Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, Government of India, congratulated Odisha for improving the NH. He recommended field-level NHAI officers to keep in touch with Collectors and Divisional Forest Officers on a regular basis in order to quickly resolve difficulties that emerge throughout the implementation process.
During the conference, the progress of various NH projects was discussed. Chief Secretary Mahapatra defined timelines for distinct phases of work against each project, taking into account varying contours of ground level concerns. The DFOs and Collectors were also told to rectify the difficulties as soon as possible, according to the schedule.
“The Odisha approach for NH upgrading is extremely good,” stated Giridha Aramane, Secretary Ministry of Road, Transport. All officers, from the Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary to the DFO and Executing Engineers, are well informed about road alignment, project progress, and ground-level issues that must be addressed.”
“There is a need for the establishment of an economic corridor from Paradeep to Bhadrasahi-Barbil,” stated Chief Secretary Suresh Mohapatra. NHAI should proceed with land purchase to provide a 100-meter ROW along this road for all future uses, including utility service. The state government would provide all necessary assistance in land acquisition.”
Odisha has received national accolades for minimising road accidents. The National Road Transport Department has praised the state administration in particular for the proper construction and upkeep of roadways in 30 districts. According to experts, the construction of both national and state roadways has been increased, which would facilitate transportation and industry while also reducing accidents.
“The creation of an economic corridor will make it easier to travel between Mining Area Barbil and Paradip.” Similarly, improving the NH and state highways will assist to reduce the number of accidents in the state,” said Subrat Nanda, a road safety activist.
The meeting discussed and resolved issues such as compensation awards for land acquisition, forest diversion, compensatory afforestation, construction of animal underpasses (AUP), elephant underpasses (EUP), and vehicle underpasses (VUP), payment of user fees by State carriage buses, wild life clearances for certain patches of some roads, and handing over physical possession of land to the NHAI.
