Gadkari to lay foundation stone for Rs 2,345 cr highway projects in Odisha on Wednesday

Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari will Wednesday lay foundation stone for three highway projects, entailing an investment of Rs 2,345 crore, in Odisha.

The projects will ensure better connectivity of the mineral-rich Angul and Dhenkanal districts of Odisha with the rest of the state, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement Tuesday.

Gadkari will be in Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal district of Odisha on Wednesday to do Bhoomi Pujan for three national highway projects of total length 132 km, worth Rs 2,345 crore, it said.

The minister will be accompanied by Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The projects for which the foundation stone will be laid include four-laning of the 41.7-km Talcher-Kamakhyanagar section of NH 200/23 (new NH 53) at a cost of Rs 795.18 crore, the 51.1-km Kamakhyanagar-Duburi section of NH 200 (new NH 53 ) at a cost of Rs 761.11 crore and 39.4-km Duburi-Chandikhole section of NH 200 (new NH 53) at a cost of Rs 789.23 crore.

The projects will have appropriate structures to reduce traffic congestion and ensure safety of road users, it said.

These would include 3 bypasses, 1 flyover, 19 vehicular underpasses, 9 major and 39 minor bridges and 45-km of service road.

The projects will reduce traffic congestion and travel time, which will help in reducing operating costs of vehicles and bring down the level of pollution, it said.

The projects will also help in generating employment opportunities in the region and improve the socio-economic condition of the local people.