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• The Odisha government is planning to add service roads along the 67-km Bhubaneswar–Puri stretch of NH-316 to address increasing traffic congestion and improve regional connectivity.
• Officials reviewed proposals for widening the existing four-lane highway to six lanes along with separate service roads on both sides of the corridor.
• The proposed infrastructure package also includes an 11-km elevated corridor, flyovers, vehicular underpasses and dedicated utility infrastructure.
• The highway is a key route connecting Bhubaneswar, Puri and major tourism centres, witnessing heavy traffic during festivals and peak travel periods.
• The state government is assessing long-term traffic demand, future urban expansion and integration with broader transport infrastructure projects in the capital region.
The Odisha government is planning to develop service roads and expand the Bhubaneswar–Puri section of NH-316 as part of a broader road infrastructure upgrade aimed at easing congestion and improving traffic movement between the state capital and the coastal pilgrimage city. The proposal was reviewed during a high-level meeting held in the past week by senior officials of the Works Department. Advertisement
The 67-km highway corridor currently functions as a four-lane road and serves as one of Odisha’s busiest intercity routes, connecting Bhubaneswar with Puri and several tourism, residential and commercial locations along the stretch. Officials reviewed plans to widen the existing carriageway to six lanes while constructing separate service roads on both sides to support local traffic movement and reduce pressure on the main highway.
The meeting, chaired by Works Department Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh, also examined proposals for an 11-km elevated high-speed corridor between Saptasati Chhak and Lingipur Chhak. The elevated section is intended to improve travel speed on one of the most congested portions of the route, particularly during peak tourism seasons and major religious events associated with Puri.
Officials discussed the construction of flyovers and vehicular underpasses at key junctions to manage increasing traffic volumes and improve road safety. The proposed project package additionally includes wayside amenities for commuters and tourists as well as a dedicated utility corridor to accommodate power transmission, telecom cables, water pipelines and gas infrastructure. Authorities noted that the utility integration plan was being designed keeping the cyclone-prone nature of the coastal region in consideration.
The proposal forms part of a wider infrastructure expansion exercise being pursued by the Odisha government to strengthen highway connectivity across the state. In recent months, the state administration has also announced plans to convert major state highways into four-lane corridors and improve strategic transport links around Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri.
The Bhubaneswar–Puri corridor has seen rising traffic movement over the past few years due to urban expansion around the capital region, growth in tourism activity and increased vehicular movement during annual events such as Rath Yatra. The route is also being considered for integration with future regional mobility and urban transport planning initiatives across the Bhubaneswar–Cuttack–Puri corridor.
Government agencies are currently evaluating traffic projections, engineering feasibility and land-related requirements before moving ahead with detailed project approvals. No formal construction timeline or project cost has yet been announced by the state government.
Source - PTI
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