Bhubaneswar, Dec. 21: The public works department will undertake a survey to explore the feasibility of a 14-km-long elevated corridor on the stretch between Raj Bhavan and Nandankanan zoo.

This was decided today at a meeting chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

Works secretary Nalinikanta Pradhan said the department had been asked to find an alternative route to ease traffic congestion on the Raj Bhavan-Nandankanan road.

The road is one of the major links in the city and provides connectivity to major business establishments, hospitals, hotels and educational institutions. Besides, it is a link between Infocity - where IT industries are located - and the mainland city where the state secretariat, Assembly, railway station and the airport are situated.

Much of the city's population take this road from their homes located at Patia and Chandrasekharpur. Tourist buses and vehicles also take this road to go to the Nandankanan zoo. Apart from this, people going to Cuttack prefer this road. The road witnesses heavy traffic during peak hours. It takes more than one hour to cover the 18-km distance.

It is expected that the traffic rush on this road will be much more once the second bridge over the Kathajodi river near Trishulia on the city outskirts is over. This will connect the twin cities and reduce the distance between the two.

A target has been set to complete work on the three-lane bridge and the approach road by March next year. The bridge, built with help from the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development, will also have footpaths for pedestrians and bicycles, dividers and railings.

At present, it takes around 45 minutes to one hour to cover the distance of 30km from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar. "With the construction of the bridge, one would have to cover a distance of only 20km from CDA Square to Jaydev Vihar via Trishulia and Nandankanan," said Bidanasi resident Satyajit Roy.

Estimates say more than 50,000 vehicles ply through the NH-5 between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar daily.

Officials said the traffic congestion would go beyond control, if any alternative route was not planned from now. Keeping this in view, the chief minister asked the officials to explore alternatives.

Sources said that if the elevated corridor was built, there would be provision for exit and entry at three major points - KIIT Square, Infocity Square and Nandankanan.