Bhubaneswar: The long-pending Rameshwar-Paradip Coastal Highway project has finally received the green signal from the Finance Minister’s appraisal committee, with the first phase of construction estimated at around Rs 8,300 crore.
Odisha Works Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said on Wednesday that the central committee approved the highway alignment, allowing the project to move ahead.
“The Rameshwar to Konark stretch will be a four-lane road, while the Konark to Paradip section will be developed as a double-lane paved shoulder (DLPS) road. Construction will begin soon after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gives its approval. Once approved, the project will go through the tendering process,” he said.
Harichandan alleged that the previous state government repeatedly stalled the highway’s alignment, delaying the project for years. He claimed the earlier administration did not want the Prime Minister’s development initiatives to gain visibility in Odisha.
The 160.18 km Rameshwar-Paradip segment forms part of a larger 346 km greenfield corridor planned along the state’s coastline.
The project is being implemented in phases, with the Rameshwar-Konark-Paradip stretch designated as the first package.
