Works Department Review meeting discussed the possibility of making the Cuttack-Sambalpur National Highway-55 into 6 lanes to strengthen connectivity from western Odisha to eastern Odisha

The overall development of the state cannot be achieved by the development of big cities in Odisha. For this, the connectivity system from different parts of the state to every city will have to be strengthened. In particular, the Bhubaneswar city expansion plan has emphasized on preparing a plan to build an outer ring road for Cuttack city. Along with this, the meeting discussed the possibility of making the Cuttack-Sambalpur National Highway-55 into 6 lanes to strengthen connectivity from western Odisha to eastern Odisha.

Similarly, there is a need to make the state highways connecting all corners of the state into four lanes. Keeping this in mind, the departmental officers have been instructed to start the survey work and submit the report to the government.

The meeting discussed the construction, widening and land acquisition of Jayadev Bihar-Nandankanan Road and Left Parallel Road, Pathigadiya-Daruthen Road, proposed Kelucharan-Phulnakhara Road, Palasandi to Garage Chowk, Acharya Bihar-Kalinga Hospital Road, Kaimatia Chowk to Gothapatna Road, Gohiria to Chhatabar Bhaya-Madanpur, AIIMS Road, etc., where necessary.

Discussions were also held on the widening of major national highways such as Konark-Puri-Satapada road, new alignment of Pipili-Konark road, construction of Cuttack-Kanderpur and Kanderpur-Balikuda, Jaipur bypass and Balangir bypass roads.

Principal Secretary, Works Department, Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh, Managing Director, OBCC, Shri Anupam Saha, EIC and Special Secretary, Eng. Laxmikant Padhi, EIC (Civil) Eng. Satyabrat Behera, EIC (Roads) Eng. Dhyan Chand Nayak, officials of the National Highways Authority, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, along with departmental officers and chief engineers were present in the meeting.