File picture of the Cuttack-Chandbali state highway

Paradip, Sept. 26: Decks have been cleared for the expansion project of the Cuttack-Chandbali state highway with the inking of an agreement with a Gurgaon-based construction company.

The Rs 800-crore World Bank-funded project failed to take off for the past six years because of problems in land acquisition.

Expansion work on the 106km highway is expected to start on October 15 as technical formalities have been completed. The work is expected to be completed within a year.

Executive engineer of roads and building division Kishore Chandra Nayak said: “The department has inked an agreement with a Gurgaon-based construction company, which bagged the contract. A global tender was called for the project. The state government will extend its logistic support to the firm for speedy implementation of the highway-expansion project.”

The 106-km Cuttack-Chandbali highway is one of the busiest roads in the state. Officials had to contend with private land acquisition, encroachment on government land and relocation of places of worships for its expansion, which led to an inordinate delay in the commencement of its expansion works.

“The land acquisition process has almost been completed. Land has already been acquired at 95 villages in Kendrapara, Cuttack and Bhadrak districts. Felling of trees and relocation of places of worship and electricity poles are also nearing completion,” he said.

A plantation drive has already been undertaken to compensate the loss of green cover for the project. While more than 50,000 trees have already been felled for the highway’s expansion, more than 10 times that number will be planted by the state forest department by the highway.

Once expanded, the highway would reduce the distance between the state capital and Calcutta. It will also ensure better connectivity with Bhitarkanika national park.

The state highway, most of which passes through Kendrapara district, will be widened up to 22 metres for smooth vehicular movement, said an official.