Bhubaneswar: Public Works Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Thursday announced plans for four alternative routes between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar to reduce heavy traffic pressure on the existing roads.
“Multiple entry and exit points to the two cities will significantly reduce congestion. Administrative approval for the same has been given and work will begin soon,” Harichandan told reporters, while referring to the traffic jam over 14 km stretch on National Highway-16 here on Wednesday after a truck went up in flames on Palasuni overbridge.
Also Read: Truck Engulfed In Flames On Bhubaneswar’s Palasuni Overbridge, Triggers 14-km Traffic Chaos
He criticised previous dispensation, noting that “no alternative road plans were prepared during the last 24 years”.
The Minister further revealed that Puri, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Khurda will be interlinked through a comprehensive ring road system. This integrated ring road project is expected to provide seamless connectivity and ease traffic flow across these key urban centres, he added.
This comes a day after the state cabinet approved a project aimed at improving urban connectivity between the twin cities. The cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, cleared a tender worth approximately Rs 158.89 crore for the construction of a new high-level bridge over the Kathajodi River. The bridge will be built on the upstream side of the existing Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Setu, also known as Subash Chandra Bose Setu or Trisulia Bridge, providing a direct and efficient link between the twin cities.
The project, awarded to MSPS Construction India Pvt Ltd on a turnkey basis, is expected to significantly decongest the busy Bhubaneswar-Cuttack corridor. “Road from Bhubaneswar Airport to Nandankanan Zoological Park is under proposal for 8 Laning, which shall provide a direct and faster connectivity to the Cuttack city. Hence, the construction of this bridge is very significant,” an official release said.
The existing 2.88-km-long Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Setu, Odisha’s longest and first three-lane bridge, was inaugurated in 2017 at a cost of around Rs 114 crore. It had already reduced travel distance between the two cities by about 12 km and eased pressure on NH-16. The new upstream bridge is expected to be completed within 36 months.
In total, 8 key proposals were approved. These include the Odisha City Gas Distribution (CGD) Policy to fast-track expansion of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) infrastructure across the state; a proposal by Shree Ambica Cotspin Private Limited to set up a yarn manufacturing (spinning) unit in Balangir district with an investment of Rs 124 crore; amendments to the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, to simplify registration under the Odisha Apartment (Ownership and Management) Act, 2023; and Odisha State Data Policy 2.0 to create a robust, secure, and interoperable data governance framework across government departments.
