NH status for 2000 km state highway in Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jul 10:

The Centre today accorded National Highway status to 2000 km of State Highways in Odisha.

Announcing this at a press meet here, Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari said his ministry has decided to link the National Highway (NH) to the districts of Odisha which have no National Highway.

“We have decided to link NH to Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur on priority. Besides, a decision has been taken to construct 12 NH bypasses”, he added.

He also said his ministry has decided to invest Rs 35,000 crore for the development and construction of National Highways of which the project work of Rs 10,000 crore would begin by the end of December this year while the projects for the remaining amount would begin from next year.

“I have directed the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) officials to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed project works”, Gadkari said.

He also said the the ministry has also decided to link five major rivers in the state to facilitate inter-state waterway transport.