By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, March 17, 2017 : The Centre on Friday accorded in-principle approval to Odisha government’s proposal to construct a capital region road by passing the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar and construction of flyovers.

The in-principle approval was accorded by union secretary for the ministry of road transport and highways Sanjaya Mitra at a review meeting here, an official release said.

Odisha chief secretary A P Padhi raised the issue at the review meeting here attended by Mitra and other senior officials of the ministry.

Padhi said there was great demand to sanction capital region road by passing the twin cities and flyovers at Khandagiri and Gohira Chhak of Bhubaneswar as these places were found to be highly crowded causing fatal accidents.

It was also decided at the meeting that Samjajpur Railway Over Bridge (ROB) on the NH to Puri, would be completed before Lord Jagannath’s Ratha Jatra in July this year. The NH from Mangala Ghat to Sterlling in Puri would also be made motor-able by that time, Mitra said.

The Union Secretary assured that fly over projects at Gohira and Khandagiri would be sanctioned by end of April of this year. Chief Secretary Padhi directed the Collectors to take monthly review of the progress of NH works in their respective districts.

Progress of 6 NH projects like four-laning of Panikoili-Rimuli section of NH-215, widening of Chandikhol- Duburi Talcher section of NH-200, four-Balasore-Jahrpokharia section of NH-5 and 4 laning of Angul-Sambalpur section of NH-42 and 4-laning of Bhubaneswar-Puri section of NH-203, 6 laning of Bhubaneswar-Chandikhol section of NH-5 were reviewed in the meeting.

The issues relating to forest diversion proposals, disbursement of compensations, tree felling permission, permissive possession of government land for the national high way, were discussed in detail and necessary decisions were taken.