Bhubaneswar: Law, Works, and Excise Minister Shri Prithviraj Harichandan chaired a series of high-level meetings at the Loksabha Bhawan conference hall to review and accelerate key road infrastructure developments across the state and the capital region. Principal Secretary Works, Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh outlined the points for detailed discussion and elaborate review of projects.
The crucial driver behind the implementation of these strategic connectivity goals is Works Department Principal Secretary Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh. Shri Singh has been regularly monitoring projects and ensuring timelines are met, helping transform the infrastructure framework into active, phase-wise implementation on the ground.
During the morning session, the Minister reviewed proposals for the expansion and modernization of two major arterial routes: the Koida-Chandikhole and Rimuli-Champua national highways. Emphasizing the strategic importance of these stretches, Shri Harichandan instructed officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Works Department to expedite land acquisition, forest clearances, and design approvals to meet project deadlines. He noted that improving these highways will significantly boost Odisha’s mineral economy, industrial logistics, tourism, and overall connectivity.
In a subsequent afternoon meeting, attention shifted to resolving urban traffic congestion in Bhubaneswar through comprehensive road network enhancements. Major initiatives discussed included the Inner and Outer Ring Roads, the Jayadev Vihar-Nandankanan road, the Kuakhai 6-lane high-level bridge, the Khandagiri-Pokhariput elevated corridor, and the proposed elevated corridor on the Bhubaneswar-Puri route, alongside several key connecting passages and hospital feeder roads.
Directing engineers and department heads to maintain rigorous quality control, Minister Shri Harichandan highlighted that these integrated road networks and elevated corridors will establish a world-class transit system for the capital, streamlining traffic movement for years to come. Senior officials from the NHAI, Works Department, and lead project engineers attended the deliberations.