Odisha CM approaches Centre over condition of national highways

A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to lay the foundation stone of three national highway projects in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday asked the Centre to improve four other highways in the same district. Patnaik wrote a letter to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari Friday in this regard. The prime minister is scheduled to arrive at Baripada, the district headquarters of Mayurbhanj district, on Saturday to lay the foundation stone of three NH projects besides addressing a public meeting.

Stating that the state is suffering a lot due to lack of timely maintenance/improvement/widening of the existing highways in the state, Patnaik wrote, "Jharpokharia-Keonjhar-Sambalpur NH-49 passing through Mayurbhanj district is not in a traffic-worthy condition". He said, Hatgamharia-Benisagar, up to a junction with NH-49 near Singada, passing through Mayurbhanj district has been declared in principle an NH from February 17, 2016, but no improvement work has yet been started. Patnaik also requested Gadkari to consider declaring four roads passing through Mayurbhanj district as national highways.

(With inputs from agencies.)