The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the construction of a new coastal highway in Odisha, connecting Rameswar in Khurda district to Paradip in Jagatsinghpur.
The 160.18 km project will cost an estimated Rs 8,300.79 crore and will be built under the Hybrid Annuity Model.
The highway will pass through Khurda, Puri, Kendrapara, and Jagatsinghpur districts. It will be constructed in two phases. The first phase covers 79.4 km from Rameswar to Konark in Puri district, while the second phase spans 80.78 km from Konark to Paradip. The first section will be four-lane, while the second will be two-lane.
Authorities confirmed that the project will integrate existing national and state highways, including NH-316, and will adopt advanced engineering techniques. Vehicles will be able to travel at speeds up to 100 km per hour.
The initiative is expected to boost tourism along Odisha’s coastline. Plans include hotels and food parks along both sides of the highway. The Ministry of Environment and Forests must grant clearance for the project, which officials expect to receive soon.
Earlier, a coastal highway project was proposed from Gopalpur in Odisha to Digha in West Bengal.
