Bhubaneswar, July 17: Getting food or finding a restroom during long journeys is set to become easier for travellers as the state commerce and transport department has proposed to build motels along the highways and other major roads connecting the tourist destinations.

In the first phase, 20 such motels will be set up in the public-private partnership mode. A motel will be set up on a plot measuring between five acres and seven acres. It will have food courts, shopping centres and restrooms. The complex will have adequate parking space, telephone booths, Internet kiosks, petrol pumps and minor vehicle repair shops along the highways.

The idea seemed to have been borrowed from the tourism department of Haryana, which has a number of motels in that state.

Official sources said the motels would be set up 500 metres away from the road to avoid accidents and traffic jams. “The motels will be provided with parking lots and basic amenities,” said an official of the department.

“Considering the problems faced by the travellers on highways, the project has been taken up on the chief minister’s instructions for the convenience of tourists and wayfarers, especially women,” said finance minister Prafulla Ghadei. He said the motels would come up in a phased manner.

Sources said at least 18 places had been identified. The locations include Phulnakhara on the Bhubaneswar-Chandikhol route, Sarwana on the Sambalpur-Bargarh route, Redhakhol on the Angul-Sambalpur route, Lahunipada on the Remuli-Rajamunda route and Ghatagaon on the Panikoili-Remuli route.

Similarly, motels will come up at Chandanpur on the Puri-Bhubaneswar route, Basta on the Balasore-Laxmannath route, Barkote on the Biramitrapur-Barkote route, Khuntuni on the Cuttack-Angul route, Huma on the Girisola-Bhubaneswar route, Soro on the Baleswar-Bhadrak route and a place before the Kharsuan Bridge on the Chandikhol-Bhadrak route.

Travellers now have to depend on the conventional roadside dhabas during journeys. However, locations of these dhabas often create a traffic mess. This will be the first attempt to set up structured roadside facilities for tourists.

“This is a welcome step as we find it very difficult to get food during long journeys. Tourists can now have quality food at the motels,” said Saroj Behurai, a Sambalpur resident.

Moreover, the Odisha government is also reported to be planning to remove liquor shops near the national highways passing through the state. Sources said there were nearly 600 liquor shops along the highways. The move is aimed to curb accidents caused by drunken driving.