Minister declares Gopalpur-Digha road as national highway

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday declared the coastal road connecting Gopalpur (Odisha) and Digha (West Bengal) as a National Highway. The Union Minister for road transport, highways and shipping also announced that Rs 5000 crore would be spent for its improvement.

Gadkari said the detailed project report (DPR) for the new National Highway from Gopalpur to Digha would be prepared before coming December. The major portion of the new NH will pass through Odisha coast, he added.

Gadkari also dedicated the four laning of 67-km Bhubaneswar-Puri section of NH-316 ahead of Lord Jagannath’s Nabakalebar Rath Yatra to the nation. He also declared the 40-km long New Jagannath Sadak connecting NH-5 and NH-316 as a National Highway.

“I assure the chief minister that the centre would take up road projects in Odisha on priority basis in order to make the state developed,” Gadkari said.

Besides Gadkari, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha minister Pradeep Maharathy also addressed the function attended by about 50000 people.

Later, Gadkari called on Naveen at his residence and discussed various central road projects in the state.