Odisha works dept lines up Rs 10,278 cr projects for 12th Plan

For 2012-13 alone, the dept had aimed to implement 16 bridges & take up improvement work on 632 km of roads at Rs 580.56 cr

The Odisha works department has drawn up an ambitious plan for the 12th Plan period (2012-17) for improvement of 5,587 km of roads, construction of 75 bridges and 10 railway over bridges (ROBs) with a financial outlay of Rs 10,277.80 crore.

For 2012-13 alone, the department aimed to implement 16 bridges and take up improvement work on 631 km of roads at a cost of Rs 580.56 crore. Till the end of December 2012, the department had completed work on construction of 11 bridges and road improvement work of 363 km.

During the 11th Plan (2007-12), the works department improved 3,354 km length of roads in different stretches, completed 64 bridges and three ROBs under different plan schemes.

Under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), a scheme assisted by National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (Nabard), 3088 km of road length has been improved in 2012-13 by the end of December. There is a Budget proposal of Rs 450 crore for Nabard assisted RIDF projects for 2013-14.

Meanwhile, three important road projects- Cuttack-Paradeep road, Vijayawada-Ranchi corridor and Naranpur-Pandapada-Harichandanpur-Brahmanipal-Duburi road are under implementation.

The 82-km road connecting Cuttack with the Paradeep major port is under progress at a cost of Rs 282.76 crore. The Union ministry of road transport, highways has sanctioned Rs 28.20 crore as contribution to the project under Central Road Fund Grant. Funds to the extent of Rs 25 crore are also arranged from different sources like Paradeep Port Trust (PPT) and Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).

During 2012-13 (till December end), 11.03 km road length has been completed with an expenditure of Rs 28.1 crore for the project. So far, 66.35 km of road length has been completed with total expenditure of Rs 243.77 crore. The project has been targeted for completion by the end of June 2013.