Odisha capital to get its Ring Road soon!

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jan 15:

Its good news for Odisha capital as it will get its own Ring Road soon. A high-level meeting chaired by Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan on Thursday discussed the modalities for implementation of the project.

The proposed ring road will surround Bhubaneswar outskirts and will be covering 64.79 k.m.  For first time in Odisha, land will be acquired in Private Public Partnership (PPP) model for the ring road project.

Works Department secretary Nalinikant Pradhan said: “A high level meeting has decided to start the first town plan (TP-1) for the ring road in the capital.  Work will be started in the initial stage for 5 kms of ring road from Dhauli. A detailed financial report will be prepared for this purpose.

The meeting was chaired by Development Commissioner R. Balakrishnan where Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) officials gave a detailed presentation of the proposed project.

Notably, the plan had been earlier approved by the chief secretary.

According to sources, the ring road project will be formalized through 42 urban development programmes. In the first stage, nine urban plans have been given approval. Under the land acquisition model, the land owners will be partners in the development process.

The state will bring a special amendment to the present law so that people of the region will be part of the development and the government will return 60 per cent of the land back to its owners.

After the land has been acquired to build the proposed ring road, a final report on the finance part for construction of the ring road will be tabled. The necessary land will be acquired from the private landowners by paying them compensation.

The ring road proposal will be included in Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP).

While BDA has created a task force for the purpose, a steering committee has been formed. The slum dwellers that will be displaced will be provided homes under housing schemes.