Bhubaneswar, April 17, 2025: Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari unveiled a massive infrastructure push in Odisha, promising highways on par with American standards. At a public event in Baramunda, Bhubaneswar, Gadkari announced 19 new national highway projects worth ₹4,137 crore to improve connectivity and boost tourism.
Gadkari said the Centre had already spent ₹60,000 crore on completed highway works in the state, with another ₹60,000 crore worth of projects in progress. He added that ₹75,000 crore in future projects had also been approved, taking the total investment close to ₹2 lakh crore.
One of the highlights of the announcement was the upcoming ₹7,000 crore capital region ring road project, which will connect Rameswaram in Khurda district to Tangi in Cuttack. The plan awaits Union Cabinet approval. Gadkari also announced that the Bhubaneswar-Puri highway would be expanded to six lanes, cutting travel time between the two cities from 90 minutes to just 45. This upgrade will cost ₹1,200 crore.
Gadkari said these developments would not only enhance transport efficiency but also significantly boost the tourism sector in Odisha.
