Odisha to construct 30,000 kms of roads and 500 bridges in 5 years

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today informed that the state government will construct 30,000 kms of roads and 500 bridges in next five years.

While reviewing the works and projects of the Rural Development Department at the Lok Seva Bhawan today, the Chief Minister also directed the concerned officials to take strict action against the contractors and officials for poor quality work.

While speaking in the meeting, the Chief Minister said that the department has the responsibility to provide quality road connectivity to all the villages of the state by constructing roads and bridges. For this, the state government has set a target to construct 30,000 kms of roads and 500 bridges in next five years.

The Chief Minister also advised to the officials to utilize 100 percent of the funds available to the department through various schemes and budgets to provide high-quality transport facilities to the people of the state.

He also directed them to pay special attention to the quality of roads and bridges and their maintenance. Besides, he asked the officials to take strict action against the contractors and officers for poor quality work.

Majhi also advised them to conduct training programs to improve the skills of the contractors engaged in construction work across the State.

The discussion in the meeting revealed that Odisha has secured the fourth position in India by constructing 70,711.24 km of roads out of the 73,984.88 km of roads approved so far under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). Earlier, work was being done under the first, second and third phase of the PMGSY as per the guidelines. Now, the work of its fourth phase has also been taken up. In this phase, roads and bridges will be constructed in tribal dominated areas, aspirational blocks, and Naxal affected areas. In the fourth phase, there is a proposal to construct 942 roads and 8 bridges for 1,021 unconnected public settlements of the state.

Similarly, approval has been given for the construction of 66 roads and 4 bridges in 73 villages under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM. JANMAN) for connecting more than 100 PVTG category public settlements.

Under the Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojana, a total of 4500.30 km of roads were constructed in the financial year 2024-25, while provision has been made for the construction of 5000 km of roads with an outlay of Rs 3469.94 crore in the financial year 2025-26.

Under the Setu Bandhan Yojana, 186 bridges were constructed in the financial year 2024-25, while provision has been made for the construction of 300 bridges in the financial year 2025-26.

Along with this, the Rural Development Department has made the provision to complete 1229 construction works in the financial year 2025-26.