Bhubaneswar: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Jairam Gadkari on Friday announced a Central Road Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) of ₹1000 crore for Odisha, while inaugurating the 84th Indian Road Congress (IRC) in Bhubaneswar alongside Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
Highlighting sustainable construction practices, Gadkari urged the use of solid waste generated in Bhubaneswar for road construction, saying that waste materials are increasingly being used at national and international levels to build durable and eco-friendly roads. “This will help create a cleaner Bhubaneswar,” he added.
Calling the Indian Road Congress the “soul of Indian road engineering,” the Union Minister said the annual convention serves as a vital platform for knowledge sharing, innovation, and research in infrastructure development.
Underlining India’s rapid strides in the sector, Gadkari noted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, road construction has seen transformative growth. “A provision of ₹2.87 lakh crore has been made for high-quality road construction across the country. In the coming days, India will become number one globally in road networks,” he said.
He emphasized the need for world-class DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) and adoption of new technologies, while calling for collaboration and the exchange of best practices in engineering and research. Stressing the importance of safety, Gadkari said, “Road safety must remain central to our construction vision.” He also highlighted the government’s commitment to green hydrogen as the fuel of the future.
In his address, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said that India’s road development journey has seen “unprecedented acceleration” since 2014. “From Independence till 2014, only 91,000 km of national highways were built, while in the past decade alone, 55,000 km have been added,” he said, crediting Gadkari’s “visionary leadership” for this progress.
The Chief Minister outlined Odisha’s infrastructure roadmap, saying the state aims to become prosperous by 2036 through sustained investment in ports, roads, railways, and air connectivity. He noted that the state has enacted the Odisha State Road Policy-2025 and the Odisha State Highways Authority Act-2025, and is preparing a Comprehensive Infrastructure Master Plan to drive growth.
“For 2025–26, the Centre has sanctioned ₹13,069 crore for national highways in Odisha,” Majhi said, adding that 19 new road projects worth ₹4,000 crore have been initiated, while ₹9,000 crore has been previously approved for 13 ongoing projects. “Our government targets construction of 75,000 km of roads within five years,” he said.
Works, Law, and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said hosting the IRC in Odisha is “a matter of pride,” as the convention will help in evolving new ideas for the development of national highways.
Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja stressed the importance of maintaining global quality standards in road construction and said the IRC will provide valuable technical support for that purpose.
During the event, individuals who made significant contributions to road engineering and research were felicitated, and a souvenir was unveiled.
The ceremony was attended by IRC President Prof. Manoranjan Parida, Secretary General Rahul Gupta, and Principal Secretary (Works) Sanjay Kumar Singh, who welcomed the delegates to the convention.
