Bhubaneswar: Odisha Model of National Highway (NH) improvement was applauded by Secretary Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, Government of India, Giridhar Aramane, in a joint review meeting of NH projects held under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra in State Lokseba Bhawan last evening.
Aramane said, “Odisha model for NH improvement is very good. All officers from the level of Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary to DFO and Executing Engineers are well conversant with alignment of the roads, progress of each project, and ground level issues that need to be tackled”. He added, such approach helped expeditious grounding and implementation of the projects. He advised the field level NHAI officers to be in regular touch with Collectors and Divisional Forest Officers for quick resolution of the issues as and when those arise in the process of implementation.
The progress of different NH projects was reviewed in the meeting. Considering various contours of the ground level issues, the Odisha Chief Secretary set timelines for different phases of the work against each project. The DFOs and Collectors were also directed to resolve the issues proactively, and provide all possible support for completion of the projects within the scheduled timeline.
Further, Mahapatra highlighted the need for development of an economic corridor from Paradeep to Bhadrasahi-Barbil. He advised that NHAI should go ahead for land acquisition to have 100 mt ROW along this road for all future use including provision of assorted utilities. Mahapatra also assured that State Government would provide all support for land acquisition for the ROW. It was decided in principle that NHAI and State would jointly develop the ROW.
Presenting the updates about NH projects in Odisha, Additional Director General NHAI Dharmananda Sadangi said that 38 number of NHs running over 5753 kms passed through 30 districts of the State. Out of this, 19 roads of 2920 km length was managed by NHAI, and other 19 roads of 2833 kms was maintained by works department of the State.
Review showed that out total length of 5753 kms of NH, around 243 kms were developed to 6-lane; 1486 kms were developed to 4-lane, 1934 kms were developed to 2-lane with paved shoulder, 1257 kms were developed to 2-lane, and around 834 km were developed to single or intermediate lane. Besides, 20 projects of worth Rs.15015 cr for improvement of around 901 km of road were taken up by NHAI. Similarly, 31 projects estimated around Rs.3088 Cr for improvement of around 1146 kms of road were taken up by Works department of the State Government.
Secretary Works Krishan Kumar appraised the progress status of different NH roads being developed by the State. He said that the work in Panikoili-Rimuli section of NH-20 was fastened. One side of Belabahali bridge was opened to traffic from 1st week of January, 2022. Chief Secretary directed to complete the project in all respects by June of current year. Similarly, the development of Rimuli-Koida section of NH-520 made substantial progress. It was targeted to start commercial operation in this road by March, 2022. Similarly, Singhara-Binjabahal section of NH-49 also made significant progress. Provisional commercial operation certificate against this road was issued from 19 January 2022, and in the meanwhile tolling operations also started. Secretary Sri Kumar also highlighted the industrial and commercial potentials of the proposed Paradeep- Barbil economic corridor including importance of the road for evacuation of ever increasing quantum of minerals.
The issues relating to disbursement of the compensation awards against land acquisition, forest diversion, compensatory afforesation, construction of animal under pass (AUP), elephant under pass (EUP), and vehicle under pass (VUP), payment of user fee by State carriage buses, wild life clearances about certain patches of some roads, handing over the physical possession of land to the NHAI etc were discussed and resolved in the meeting.
Member NHAI Mahavir Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Revenue and Disaster Management Satyabrata Sahu, Secretary Works Krishan Kumar, Transport Commissioner Arun Bothra, Chief General Manager NHAI Dr Ram Prasad Panda along with senior officers from NHAI, State and Central Government participated in the discussions.
