Rourkela: The expansion on the National Highway-143 from Barkote to Biramitrapur would begin from January 1 next year.

The NHAI's chief general manager Dharmananda Sarangi said: "If everything moves well, the work may begin from January 1. Land is not a problem, we have nearly 60 per cent land in our acquisition. But to start the work, one needs at least 90 per cent land to be available with us. For this, the NHAI has written to its higher officials to allow initial construction under the National Highway Act, pending the acquisition. Besides, we also need forest clearance on nearly 5km at various patches," he said.

Asked about the patch on which the initial work will begin he said: "It depends on the executing organisation." GKC Projects Limited of Andhra Pradesh has been awarded the contract. The 126-km-long NH-143 stretches from Biamitrapur to Barkot in Deogarh district. This road is the life line for the mining industry of the district and also offers an easy and short reach to Bhubaneswar.

The road is being widened in three phases, Biramitrapur-Rourkela, 30km, Rourkela-Rajaminda, 46km and Rajamunda-Barkot, 50km. The total project cost is Rs 2,500 crore, which includes the all-important Brahmani bridge, which is 60 years old and regarded as the life line of Rourkela. The second Brhamani bridge will come up near Balughat, nearly 1.5km away from the old bridge.

Earlier, it had been finalised to start the project in 2013 and the work was awarded to one Gammon India for Rs 1,250 crore. But, it was shelved as the state government could not acquire land. This time, the acquisition is over and the compensation paid. The NHAI has opened one project office at Koelnagar and appointed a project director, who has taken charges. In June last, Union minister Nitin Gadkari had laid the foundation stone for the project.

There are still problems in land acquisition near Biramitrapur, where the NHAI is realigning the design to overcome public resentment. "We are planning for realignment, and for that, we will write to the district collector. We are hopeful that the forest clearance will arrive within three months," said Sarangi.

Rourkela MLA Dilip Ray has sharply criticised the delay in the construction of the road and bridge. Gadakari had promised that the work would begin within 15 days.