Odisha Cabinet approves 11 Projects, including Biju Expressway

Bureau,Odishabarta

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Cabinet on Wednesday approved 11 projects, including the construction of the Rs 448.02-crore Biju Expressway. The Cabinet meeting was virtually chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The proposals were placed by different departments.

Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said the four-lane 174-km-long highway from Ghatipada in Nuapada district to Ampani in Kalahandi will not only enhance connectivity between southern and western Odisha but also boost economic growth as the Government is parallelly working to develop the Biju Express Economic corridor along the road. The project will be developed in an EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) mode and will have 17 minor bridges and 8 major bridges.

The Cabinet also approved the construction of box drains between Patapol and Matrubhavan in Cuttack city, which frequently gets inundated during monsoon, at an estimated expenditure of Rs 450 crore. The work is scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2022, the Chief Secretary said.
The drains will be constructed under Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-assisted Odisha Integrated Sanitation Improvement Project (OISIP). The Housing and Urban Development department is implementing the OISIP through Orissa Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

The drainage system has been designed to mitigate perennial problems of flooding in Cuttack city by increasing the drain size for increasing the discharge capacity, installation of high capacity storm water pumping stations and sluice gates for a quick and efficient draining out of floodwater during monsoon.

The Chief Secretary said the tender was split into two lots. One lot for 1,850 metres from Patapol to Brajakbati and lot two (1,550 metres) from Brajakbati to Matrubhavan.