Manas Mangaraj Urges Swift Action on Long-Pending Coastal Highway Project in Odisha

New Delhi, TNI Bureau: In a fervent address during the Winter Session of the Parliament, Member of Parliament Manas Mangaraj emphasized the urgent need for the completion of the Coastal Highway Project in Odisha. The state, endowed with a sprawling coastline of approximately 480 km, has long awaited the transformative impacts that the infrastructure development of its coastal districts would bring to the region’s economy.

The Central Government had announced the ambitious Coastal Highway Project in 2015, envisaging a 346 km stretch connecting seven coastal districts in Odisha. The project aimed at fostering trade, boosting tourism, improving communication, and catalyzing industrial growth in the region. However, the envisioned progress has been marred by inexplicable delays, hindering the realization of these economic benefits.

The Coastal Highway Project was designed in two segments – one linking Rameshwar to Ratanpur, and the other connecting Ratanpur to Digha. Originally planned to be executed in four packages, the development hit roadblocks early on when the first two packages were abruptly canceled by the Central Government, leaving stakeholders without a clear rationale for the decision.

Subsequent hurdles emerged as the project faced a standstill due to a lack of environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment. Despite the clearance being granted in August 2023, Manas Mangaraj lamented the absence of any substantial progress in the project’s execution.

Addressing the Parliament, Mangaraj expressed his concern and urged the Central Government to expedite the completion of the Coastal Highway Project. He specifically called for the release of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) that delineates the current status of the project’s implementation. Stressing the urgency of the matter, Mangaraj pointed out that eight years have transpired since the project’s initial announcement, yet there has been negligible development on the ground.

Mangaraj appealed, “Through you, I would like to urge the Central government to come up with a Detailed Project Report (DPR) highlighting the status of implementation of the project. The central government needs to work towards completion of the coastal highway project as soon as possible because eight years have already passed since the announcement of the same, and no significant development has been made as of now.”