Ministers review progress of 14 national highway projects, stress timely completion

Bhubaneswar: In a bid to accelerate infrastructure development and improve road connectivity across Odisha, a high-level review meeting on the progress of national highway projects was held at Lok Seva Bhawan on Thursday. Chaired jointly by Law, Works and Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan and Revenue & Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, the meeting assessed the status of 14 ongoing highway projects being executed across different regions of the state.

The ministers reviewed several key projects, including the 21-km Cuttack–Kandarpur road, the 111-km Capital Region Ring Road, and the Mohana–Koraput road. The progress of bypass road construction at Sambalpur, Borigumma, Jeypore, Titilagarh, Dharamgarh, Rayagada, Phulbani, Nabarangpur and Jharsuguda was also examined. In addition, the meeting took stock of bridge construction works over the Indravati, Nagavalli and Tel rivers, which are crucial for improving regional connectivity and easing traffic congestion.

Special focus was laid on resolving bottlenecks related to land acquisition and compensation, particularly issues involving forest land. Officials were directed to expedite the clearance of pending cases and ensure timely disbursal of compensation to affected landowners. The ministers also instructed concerned departments to fast-track the relocation of utilities such as electricity lines, drinking water pipelines and telecommunication infrastructure to avoid delays in project execution.

Emphasising adherence to timelines, the ministers directed all implementing agencies to ensure that ongoing projects are completed within the stipulated schedule. They underscored the importance of inter-departmental coordination to facilitate smooth execution and minimise procedural hurdles.

The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue & Disaster Management Dr Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary of the Energy Department Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary of the Works Department Sanjay Kumar Singh, and Principal Secretary of Forest, Environment and Climate Change Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma. Senior officials from the National Highways Authority of India, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and the Works Department were present, while district collectors and senior officers participated virtually.