Bhubaneswar, May 8: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi led Odisha Cabinet approved Rs 1,000 crore to build 500 kilometers of disaster-resilient roads in flood and cyclone-prone regions across the state.
This five-year project (2025–2030) is sanctioned under the ‘Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojana’ and aims to keep roads open and connected during emergencies.
According to a press release from Odisha Government, the planned roads will include raised embankments above flood levels, strong protection walls, better drainage systems, and high-level bridges to replace ones that get flooded easily.
Importantly, these roads are being built to serve as lifelines during disasters like cyclones, which often hit the state and cut off access. They will help rescue teams and relief supplies reach affected areas quickly.
Apart from it, the cabinet also approved Rs 426 crore to improve rural roads in 142 assembly constituencies over the next three years. The project aims to fix damaged roads and improve connections to schools, hospitals, and markets, especially in remote areas.
The disaster-resilient roads will include stonework to stop erosion, special drains on hillsides to catch rainwater, and enough drainage points to handle flooding.
These features are meant to reduce repair costs and make the roads last longer in disaster-prone areas, helping communities stay connected to emergency services during floods and cyclones.
Work on both road projects will start in 2025–26, and the rural road upgrades are expected to be finished by 2026–27.
The government said it will work closely with local bodies to focus on important routes and make sure the work is completed on time.
