Bhubaneswar/ New Delhi, August 19: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday hailed the Centre’s approval of the Bhubaneswar Capital Region six-lane ring road project worth ₹8,307.74 crore, calling it a milestone for Odisha’s development.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pradhan said the much-awaited 111 km access-controlled superhighway will transform regional connectivity. “On behalf of 4.5 crore people of Odisha, I thank PM Modi. This project marks a big step towards a developed Odisha and a developed India,” he said.
Pradhan alleged that the project had been delayed earlier due to the “non-cooperation” of the previous Odisha government. He added that with the BJP now in power in the state, the “double-engine government is pushing development at double speed.”
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister approved the six-lane access-controlled highway (Bhubaneswar Bypass – 110.875 km) under Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM). The project aims to decongest the heavily urbanized stretch between Rameshwar and Tangi, where existing highways face high traffic pressure through Khordha, Bhubaneswar, and Cuttack.
The Greenfield corridor will integrate with three major national highways (NH-55, NH-57, NH-655) and one state highway (SH-65), ensuring seamless connectivity across key economic and social nodes. It will also link with 10 economic hubs, four social nodes, and five logistics nodes, while improving multi-modal integration with a major railway station, an airport, two ports, and a proposed Multi-Modal Logistics Park.
According to the government, the ring road will divert heavy commercial vehicles away from major cities, cut logistics costs, and boost freight efficiency. Beyond infrastructure, the project is expected to generate over 1.67 crore person-days of employment—74.43 lakh direct and 93.04 lakh indirect.
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