By Nageshwar Patnaik in Bhubaneswar, November 8, 2025: Odisha’s road infrastructure will get a facelift with the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Jairam Gadkari announcing a central allocation of Rs 11,000 crore for Odisha’s road-infrastructure initiatives through a foundation-stone laying programme.

Gadkari announced this while inaugurating the 84th Indian Road Congress (IRC) here on Thursday in the presence of the Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. In his inaugural address, Gadkari stated that the construction of quality roads has accelerated India’s economic progress. He emphasized that the visionary approach of engineers plays a pivotal role in national development. Describing the Indian Roads Congress as “the soul of Indian road engineering,” he said that leadership, vision, quality commitment, and transparency are the guiding forces for sustainable progress.

Highlighting the importance of environmental preservation, the Minister remarked that nothing is waste — with advanced knowledge and technology, even waste can be transformed into wealth. He urged engineers and policymakers to encourage new innovations. Referring to the upcoming Bhubaneswar Ring Road project, Gadkari suggested that processed solid waste be used in its construction.

The Minister observed that India’s road network is now among the largest and fastest-growing in the world. “Where roads are developed, industries prosper; where industries grow, investments rise; when investments increase, employment expands; and with employment comes freedom from poverty,” Gadkari said.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has witnessed historic progress in road construction. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways currently operates with a budget of ₹2.87 lakh crore, and Gadkari affirmed that “there is no shortage of funds — we have ₹15 lakh crore available.”

In 2014, India’s national highway length stood at 91,287 km; it has now expanded to 1,46,342 km, marking a 60% increase. Emphasizing the importance of quality, Gadkari noted, “The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is the backbone of any project — it must be of the highest standard.”

According to reports from IIT Chennai and IIT Kanpur, India’s logistics cost, which was previously 16%, has now fallen to 5% due to improved road infrastructure. New, wide roads have been built even in remote and tribal regions.
He cited examples of reduced travel times — the Delhi–Dehradun journey, once taking nine hours, now takes just two; the Kanpur–Lucknow trip, earlier 2.5 hours, now takes only 30 minutes via the expressway. These improvements have significantly enhanced exports by cutting logistics costs.

All of this, Gadkari said, has been made possible through the combined efforts of engineers, contractors, and consultants. “Making India the world’s third-largest economy is the Prime Minister’s dream, and for that, we need world-class infrastructure. How we apply knowledge and technology in roads, bridges, and tunnels will be critical.”

While celebrating progress in infrastructure, Gadkari stressed that road safety cannot be ignored. He called for zero errors in road engineering, the identification of black spots, and prompt corrective measures. “With your participation, we will build an India where roads become the path of progress, safety becomes our culture, and construction harmonizes with nature — a smart, safe, green, and prosperous India.”

Recalling the contributions of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, CM Majhi noted that road construction received new momentum during his tenure, which has continued and accelerated under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership since 2014. At the time of Independence, India had only 19,000 km of national highways — left behind by the British. By 2014, this figure had risen to 91,000 km, an increase of 72,000 km in 65 years. Between 2014 and 2025, the network has expanded to 1,46,200 km, an addition of 55,200 km in just 11 years — a 60% growth.

Majhi stated that within 16 months of forming the state government, Odisha has reached new heights of development. Infrastructure creation remains a top priority. The current year’s budget allocates ₹65,012 crore for road infrastructure — 22.4% of the total budget. For the 2025–26 fiscal year, ₹13,069 crore has been sanctioned for national highways. Odisha will celebrate 100 years of its formation as a separate province in 2036. Keeping Vision Odisha 2036 and 2047 in focus, the government aims to boost economic growth through expanded port, road, rail, and air connectivity.

He also referenced recent legislative measures including the Odisha State Road Policy-2025 and the Odisha State Highways Authority Act-2025, and noted that for FY 2025-26, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 13,069 crore for national highways within the state. He also revealed that 19 projects worth about Rs 4,000 crore are now underway, and 13 more projects worth Rs 9,000 crore have been approved. The Chief Minister set a target of constructing 75,000 km of roads over the next five years and called for elevating Odisha’s road network to global standards.

Minister of Works, Law & Excise Prithviraj Harichandan said, “This is not just an ordinary gathering, but a platform for innovation, collaboration, and knowledge exchange.” He emphasized that the deliberations across sessions would help adopt new technologies and engineering practices in road construction. He stressed the importance of environment-friendly infrastructure, recycling, the use of sustainable materials, and minimizing construction time and cost. During the event, eminent engineers who have made outstanding contributions to road development were felicitated with Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Among those present were Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner Anu Garg, Principal Secretary (Works) Sanjay Singh, IRC President Manoranjan Parida, PIARC Vice President D. Sarangi, DG (RD) Vinay Kumar Rajawat, IRC General Secretary Rahul Gupta, former IRC President Kamalesh Kumar Pipri, IRC-I Vice President S.F. Patil, and several other dignitaries.