BJD MPs Urge Centre to Expedite Pending National Highways Projects in Odisha

New Delhi: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MPs today urged the Centre to expedite the pending and delayed National Highway projects in Odisha.

A delegation of BJD MPs submitted a memorandum today regarding delay in National Highway projects in Odisha with General V. K. Singh (Retd.) Union Minister of State of Road Transport and Highways and urging him to expedite the pending and delayed National Highway work of Odisha as well as declaration of new Highways in the State.

Odisha is rapidly transforming to becoming the agricultural, industrial and infrastructural hub of India. With record Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), increasing investments in the industrial and services’ sector as well as the rise of agri-business and agricultural production, Odisha’s • needs for infrastructural growth and development are many, the BJD MPs said in the memorandum.

There has been tremendous delay in Cuttack-Sambalpur National Highway project and people of Oqisha are suffering. It is the lifeline between western Odisha and coastal Odisha. This Highway needs be completed at the earliest so that the people, and especially the elderly, women and children travelling on this road do not suffer more, the BJD said.

Explaining the Rajamunda-Barkote National Highway a lifeline to the steel city of Rourkela, the BJD MPs said that due to the heavy traffic and more so the Hockey World Cup 2023 ‘being held In Rourkela, its completion is of importance.

It is being increasingly seen that the National Highways running through Odisha are being neglected and during several stretches are in bad condition, the BJD MPs said while urging the Ministry to undertake a survey of all the National Highways and takes up the repair and maintenance at the earliest.

Despite several years having passed, there has not been any progress on the Coastal Highway project of Odisha. Being the lifeline for the entire coast of Odisha, it was expected to bring about transformation but no progress of this project has dashed the hopes of the coastal people of Odisha, especially the areas of marine fishing, tourism and culture, the BJD delegation stated.

The BJD MPs also demanded declaration of new National Highways of the road stretch from Palasa-Parlakhemundi-Ramanguda-Bissamcuttack-Muniguda-Bhabanipatna-Khariar-Bangomunda-Patnagarh-Padmapur on Odisha/Chhattisgarh Border and declaration of new National Highways of the road stretch from Balangir-Patnagarh-Khaprakhol-Udyanbandh in Odisha.