expressway: Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Nov 18: A new greenfield highway connecting Kharagpur in West Bengal and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, passing through Odisha, is set to be constructed soon. Works Minister Prithviraj Harichandan announced that preliminary preparatory works for the project have already commenced.
The expressway is expected to serve as a key logistics corridor, facilitating high-speed, seamless transportation across the region. Harichandan highlighted that the project is a crucial component of the Central government’s Gati Shakti Framework and will be a groundbreaking development in Odisha’s road infrastructure.
Greenfield roads, which typically pass through less developed areas, offer a lower per-unit land acquisition cost. This type of construction not only provides a cost-effective solution but also opens up new areas for future development.
The 783 km-long expressway project is progressing smoothly, with 10 firms having submitted bids to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs). The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) opened the technical bids on November 5, 2024. The project, for which MoRTH invited tenders in June 2024, is set to be completed within 1.5 years. A total of 18 bids were received, with 10 for Package 1 and 8 for Package 2.
