Sonepur, Jan. 19: Plans are on to begin a number of projects in Sonepur to exploit the tourism potential of the town.

The government is planning to build an embankment along the Mahanadi to turn it into a tourist hub. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik would lay the foundation of the embankment and the ring road along the river bank here on on Thursday

The ring road would be 3.6km long and would run from the bridge over the Mahanadi to the bridge over Tel. Initially budgeted at Rs 21 crore, the project, which includes the road and the embankment, would be funded by the Union ministry of water resources and Nabard.

Sonepur District Peoples’ Action Committee chairman Gobinda Maharana said the project would serve the dual purpose of communication and tourism. “The demand was there since 1980 but the committee had launched a movement two years ago. Our efforts have been rewarded,” he said.