Cabinet Clears Construction of New Coastal Highway Connecting Rameshwar and Paradeep in Odisha

Union Cabinet Approves New Coastal Highway in Odisha

The Union Cabinet has approved the construction of a new coastal highway from Rameshwar to Paradeep in Odisha at a total project cost of Rs 8,300.79 crore. The new coastal highway, which will be constructed on a hybrid annuity model, will span a combined total length of 160.18 km in two packages.

The project section of the new coastal highway will pass through Khurda, Puri, Kendrapada, and Jagatsinghpur districts of Odisha. The existing road geometry along the Puri–Satapada and Puri–Konark stretches is poor, with nearly 40% ribbon development along the corridor and high levels of roadside local commuter traffic, making the corridor unsuitable for smooth and efficient long-distance vehicular movement.

The new coastal highway is proposed to have a four-lane configuration from Rameshwar to Konark (Package-1) and a 2-lane configuration with paved shoulder from Konark to Paradeep (Package-2), ensuring a design speed of 100 km/hour and improved travel efficiency across the districts of Khurda, Puri, Kendrapada, and Jagatsinghpur in Odisha.

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Upon completion, the project is expected to reduce travel time by about 2 hours and 30 minutes between Rameshwar and Paradeep, while providing safe, fast, and uninterrupted connectivity for both passenger and freight traffic. The project will also enhance regional mobility and promote socio-economic development in the region.

The construction of the new coastal highway is expected to result in substantial reductions in fuel consumption, carbon emissions, and vehicle operating costs (VOC), making it a significant development for the state of Odisha.