In a significant push to ease traffic congestion ahead of the world-famous Rath Yatra, Principal Secretary of the Works Department, Sanjay Kumar Singh, personally visited the Matiapada Road Over Bridge construction site today and directed the executing agency to accelerate work for early completion.
With lakhs of devotees expected to throng Puri in July for the grand Car Festival, the State Government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure seamless vehicular movement and world-class infrastructure.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Works Minister Prithviraj Harichandan have repeatedly stressed the need for robust road and bridge connectivity to the holy city.
During his on-site review, Singh conducted a thorough assessment of all ongoing activities and pending tasks. He specifically instructed the contractors to expedite the launching of the bow-string girder and the casting of the bridge deck slab while strictly maintaining safety protocols and quality standards.“Deploy adequate manpower and machinery immediately. Maintain close coordination with the department and ensure the project is completed within the stipulated timeline,” Singh directed the team.
The Chairman of the EPC contracting agency assured that the bow-string girder launching will be completed by 15 June 2026 and the deck slab casting by 20 June 2026.
Once operational, the Matiapada ROB is expected to dramatically improve traffic flow, drastically reduce travel time, and provide much-needed relief to daily commuters as well as pilgrims visiting the holy city. The bridge will serve as a key infrastructure milestone, strengthening Puri’s transport network and supporting the city’s growing tourism and religious significance.
The high-level review was attended by Chief Engineer (National Highways-I) Narayan Patel, Chief Construction Engineer, Ajit Kumar Ray, Superintending Engineer, Pupun Kumar Pradhan, Superintending Engineer (R&B) Soumya Ranjan Dwibedi, and the Chairman of the EPC agency, Subash Agrawal.
The swift progress on the Matiapada ROB reflects the Odisha Government’s firm commitment to delivering timely infrastructure that enhances both pilgrim convenience and urban mobility in Puri.
