Odisha to build 30,000 km of roads and 500 bridges in five years: CM Majhi
Bhubaneswar, Aug 22 (UNI) The Odisha government has set a target of constructing 30,000 km of roads and 500 bridges over the next five years, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced today.
Reviewing the activities of the Rural Development Department at Lok Seva Bhawan, Majhi stressed the need to provide quality transport facilities to people across the state by ensuring 100 percent utilization of available funds under various schemes and budgetary provisions.
The Chief Minister directed the department to focus on the quality and maintenance of roads and bridges, warning of strict action against contractors and officials found guilty of substandard work. He also advised the department to organize training programs to enhance the skills of contractors engaged in construction projects.
During the meeting, it was revealed that out of the 73,984.88 km of roads sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Odisha had constructed 70,711.24 km by 2019, earning the fourth position in the country. After implementing PMGSY in three phases, the state has now taken up works under Phase IV, which focuses on tribal-dominated areas, aspirational blocks, and Naxal-affected regions. In this phase, 942 roads and 8 bridges are proposed to be built, connecting 1,021 unconnected settlements.
Similarly, under the PM Janman Yojana, 66 roads and 4 bridges have been approved to connect 73 villages and more than 100 PVTG settlements.
Under the Chief Minister’s Roads Scheme, 4,500.30 km of roads were constructed during 2024-25, while Rs. 3,469.94 crore has been allocated for constructing 5,000 km of roads in 2025-26. Under the Setu Bandhan Yojana, 186 bridges were built in 2024-25, and 300 more have been planned for 2025-26.
In addition to road and bridge projects, the Rural Development Department is also working on strengthening rural infrastructure, including the construction of hostels, colleges, government offices, storm and flood shelters, and welfare pavilions. In 2024-25, the department completed 451 such projects, while 1,229 more are scheduled for completion in 2025-26.
