New Delhi: Odisha is set for a massive infrastructure boost following the approval of a new coastal highway project by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The 160.18-kilometer highway will stretch from Rameshwar to Paradeep and will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Model with a combined capital investment of Rs 8300.79 crore.
This new infrastructure is designed to address significant bottleneck issues in the region. Currently, the existing road network relies on NH-16, a six-lane highway passing through Khordha, Bhubaneswar, and Cuttack, alongside NH-316, which connects Bhubaneswar to Puri, Satapada, and Konark. However, the stretches between Puri-Satapada and Puri-Konark suffer from poor road geometry, high roadside local commuter traffic, and extensive ribbon development, making them highly inefficient for long-distance transport.
The upcoming coastal highway will completely transform connectivity across the Khurda, Puri, Kendrapada, and Jagatsinghpur districts. The project will be executed in two packages: a four-lane configuration from Rameshwar to Konark, followed by a two-lane layout with paved shoulders from Konark to Paradeep. Engineered for a design speed of 100 kilometers per hour, the highway will ensure smooth, safe, and uninterrupted movement for both passenger and freight vehicles.
Aligned with the PM GatiShakti principles, the new highway will link nine economic nodes and five logistic nodes, ultimately boosting India’s overall Logistic Performance Index. Once completed, the highway will slice travel time between Rameshwar and Paradeep by approximately two and a half hours, while driving down vehicle operating costs, fuel consumption, and carbon emissions in the region.