Odisha Plans Service Roads on Key Highway for Smoother Traffic

The Odisha government intends to add service lanes to both sides of the Bhubaneswar-Puri stretch on National Highway-316 to improve traffic flow. Officials highlight the importance of inter-departmental coordination for the project, which includes utility corridors and aims to enhance travel between the cities.

The Odisha government is set to introduce two service lanes along each side of the four-lane Bhubaneswar-Puri section of National Highway-316, aiming to facilitate smoother traffic flows to the coastal town of Puri.

During a recent meeting, Works Department Secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh stressed the necessity for coordination among various departments to execute the initiative. The plan includes laying service roads alongside the 67-km highway and constructing a six-lane elevated corridor along the 11-km stretch between Saptsati Square and Lingipur Square. This development is expected to cut travel time and reduce congestion in Bhubaneswar.

The meeting also highlighted the construction of special utility corridors for services like electricity, telephone, internet, water, and gas, given the region's vulnerability to cyclones. Department Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan announced an eight-lane service road with four lanes on each side, to be constructed along NH-16 from Palasuni to Tamando in Bhubaneswar, significantly enhancing the traffic flow in the capital area.