BY Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, June 10, 2016 : Odisha will get at least Rs two lakh crore investment in key infrastructure projects in the next five years, according to union minister for road transport, highways and shipping Nitin Gadkari.

Speaking to a section of intellectuals, Gadkari made it clear that there would be investments to develop roads, ports, inland water ways etc.

Unveiling a huge amount of Rs 35,000 crore investment plan for road sector development in the state, the minister said work on new National Highway (NH) projects (in Odisha) worth Rs 10,000 crore would begin before December this year while work for the balance projects are expected to commence early next year, he told reporters here.

“I have directed the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) officials to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed project works in Odisha,” he said.

Besides, the minister today declared seven new NH projects for the state spanning a network of 1,260 km. These projects include Palasa-Parlakhemundi-Padampur (400 km), Bhubaneswar-Athagarh-Badkera (150 km), Narayanpur-Parjang-Khadagprasad (140 km), Cuttack-Chandbali-Dhamra-Bhadrak (190 km), Badkera-Hindol-Daspalla-Bhanjanagar (120 km), Nayagarh-Saranpur-Jankia-Chandpur (130 km) and Bolangir-Patnagarh-Harishankar-Nrusinghanath-Paikamal-Nuapada (130 km).

Gadkari said the NH network across the country is 97,000 km out which the coverage in Odisha is 4639 km. Out of this 1462 km is with the NHAI and 3177 km with the Public Works Department (PWD). The minister said the government is also giving priority for development of national highways.

“We are giving priority to Odisha. We have already created 1,300km NH while we will try to increase it to 2,000 km,” said the minister.

Two districts in the state- Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur yet to be covered under NH network would also be covered, he said.

Ongoing NH projects amounting to Rs 8764 crore and covering a length of 2104 km are in various stages of implementation. The ongoing NH projects are six laning of Chandikhole-Jagatpur-Bhubaneswar section (67 km), four laning of Rimuli-Roxy-Rajamunda section of NH-215 and four laning of Talcher-Dubari-Chandikhole section besides widening, improvement and upgradation of many NH sections.

NHAI would execute 15 projects in the state in 2015-16 with a total outlay of around Rs 2200 crore.

Underscoring the importance of inland waterways for commerce and trade activities, the minister disclosed that his ministry plans to spend Rs one lakh crore over five years on development of inland waterways in the country.

Regarding the inland waterway in Odisha, he said, “The waterway in Odisha would cover a stretch of 332 km from Talcher to Pankapal. The barrage would be build at Jokadia for which a detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared. Work is expected to start soon.”
Gadkari said, his ministry has drawn up a plan to convert 101 rivers across the country into inland waterways and this includes five in Odisha- Brahmani, Baitarani, Mahanadi, Subarnarekha and Budhabalannga.

Besides, his ministry has set an ambitious target to make Paradip Port as the growth engine of eastern India. Paradip port’s cargo handling capacity would be increased to 325 million ton per annum (mtpa) by 2025 and the ministry also proposes a satellite port at Paradip. The estimated cost of the project is pegged at Rs 50,000 crore.

“The production of Paradip port would be increased three-fold by 2025. Work is going on to achieve the target,” Gadkari added.

Gadkari further informed that the government is taking steps to increase the coal production of Mahanadi Coal Fields Ltd (MCL) from 60 million tonnes (mt) to 300 mt. “The coal would be transported through waterways to other states including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. In return, the ships would bring lime stones for steel projects,” said the Minister.

If coal is transported through waterways, electricity charges would cost Rs one less per unit, he added. He also said infrastructure is being developed for the smooth transportation of coal.

Gadkari said the government is committed to bring down the high logistics cost to 12 per cent and raise the share of waterways transportation to 15 per cent in coming years. He said the country’s logistics cost is 18 per cent presently.