Odisha's Highway Boom: A Rs 13,000 Crore Ambition Unveiled

The Centre has greenlit highway projects worth Rs 13,000 crore in Odisha for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The state aims to complete Rs 2,000 crore worth of construction by September. The Sambalpur-Cuttack highway project, delayed by financial issues, is nearing completion.

The Indian government has sanctioned national highway projects valued at Rs 13,000 crore for Odisha in the 2025-26 fiscal, as revealed by a state minister. The ambitious push aims to significantly enhance the state's infrastructure, focusing on rapid project execution.

Odisha officials have set a September deadline to finish roadworks amounting to Rs 2,000 crore, stated Works Minister Prithviraj Harichandan. Meeting this target is crucial for accessing the full Rs 13,000 crore allocated by the Centre, thereby aiming to set a new record in highway construction within the state.

The Sambalpur-Cuttack highway section, which encountered delays due to the contractor's financial woes, is now nearing full completion. The project, initiated in 2017, was originally scheduled for completion by 2020 but is expected to be finalized by the end of the current year.

(With inputs from agencies.)