Union minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Thursday said the Centre was prioritising road infrastructure development in Odisha and had prepared a comprehensive roadmap for the state’s growth in this sector.

During his visit, he laid the foundation stones for projects worth ₹4,137 crore, covering 154km.

Addressing a public meeting at Baramunda ground, Gadkari said, “Infrastructure projects worth ₹2 lakh crore are currently in the pipeline. Works worth ₹60,000 crore have already been completed, and projects worth another ₹60,000 crore are at various stages of execution. An additional ₹75,000 crore will be spent on upcoming projects. We are working to match the quality and scale of national highways in the United States.”

He announced that the Bhubaneswar-Puri road would be expanded into a six-lane corridor at a cost of ₹1,200 crore. “The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri journey will become a smooth and pleasant experience,” he said.

Gadkari also revealed that the proposed ring road project for Bhubaneswar would soon receive Cabinet approval. “The six-lane ring road, connecting Rameswaram in Khurda district to Tangi in Cuttack district, will be constructed at an estimated cost of ₹7,000 crore,” he said.

The minister said ongoing highway projects connecting Cuttack-Angul and Sambalpur would be completed by June 2025. “One will be able to travel to Sambalpur in just four hours, down from the current eight,” he said.

He further informed that the ₹8,000-crore Sambalpur-Ranchi highway project would be completed soon, while the Chandikhol-Paradip highway would be ready by December 2026.

On the occasion, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi urged Gadkari to consider converting the Bhubaneswar-Puri road into an eight-lane expressway, citing its long-term utility over the next 100 years. He also called for the four-laning of the proposed coastal highway in Odisha and requested ₹1 lakh crore in central assistance for the state’s overall infrastructure development.