Bhubaneswar: A high-level review meeting on the progress of national highway projects in Odisha was held today at the conference hall of Lok Seva Bhawan. The meeting, chaired by Law, Works, and Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan and Revenue & Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, assessed the progress of 14 ongoing highway projects across the state.
Key discussions included the 21 km Cuttack–Kandarpur road, the 111 km Capital Region Ring Road, the Mohana–Koraput road, and the construction of bypass roads at Sambalpur, Borigumma, Jeypore, Titilagarh, Dharamgarh, Rayagada, Phulbani, Nabarangpur, and Jharsuguda. The ministers also reviewed bridge construction projects over the Indravati, Nagavalli, and Tel rivers.
The meeting focused on resolving issues related to land acquisition and compensation, including complexities concerning forest land. Officials were also directed to expedite the relocation of utilities such as electricity lines, drinking water pipelines, and telecommunication infrastructure.
Ministerial instructions emphasized completing all ongoing projects within the scheduled timelines. Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue & Disaster Management Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary of Energy Department Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary of Works Department Sanjay Kumar Singh, and Principal Secretary of Forest, Environment & Climate Change Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma attended the meeting. Senior officials from the National Highway Authority, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, and Works Department were present, while district collectors and senior officers participated virtually.
