Bhubaneswar: Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged the Centre to expedite three major highway infrastructure projects in Odisha.
In a letter to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, the Sambalpur MP sought the upgradation of the Sambalpur-Anugola-Kataka stretch of the National Highway from four lanes to six lanes, along with two-lane service roads on both sides.
The corridor has witnessed a sharp rise in passenger, freight, mining and industrial traffic and has become strategically important for connecting western Odisha with major industrial, commercial and urban centres, he said adding that the proposed expansion would improve traffic flow, road safety and logistics connectivity.
The senior leader also sought the construction of four underpasses on the Anugola-Sambalpur section of NH-55. The proposed underpasses are at Indal Road, Jarpada, Jeranga and Charmal. According to the MP, the locations have been identified as long-term road safety interventions by the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), Sambalpur.
The ex-minister urged the ministry to provide the necessary administrative and financial approvals and take up the projects on priority, citing the heavy movement of mining and commercial vehicles and frequent interaction between highway traffic, local vehicles and pedestrians.
This apart, Dharmendra sought the construction of a flyover at Sambalpur City Railway Station Square on NH-53. He pointed out that a large number of railway passengers cross the busy highway at grade, creating a serious road safety concern. The location has also been identified as a potential black spot.
The BJP leader urged Gadkari to direct officials of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to expedite the necessary approvals for all three proposals.
The projects would strengthen highway infrastructure in the region, improve road safety, ease the movement of passengers and freight, and support Odisha’s growing industrial and economic activities, Dharmendra added.
