Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Urges Odisha CM to Upgrade Angul’s Road Network for Industrial Growth
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, pressing for urgent intervention to strengthen road infrastructure in Angul district.
Pradhan highlighted the strategic importance of Angul, which contributes nearly 5% to Odisha’s Gross State Domestic Product and houses major industrial hubs such as NALCO Smelter Plant, NTPC Kaniha, Talcher Super Thermal Power Station, and several Mahanadi Coalfields Limited mines.
With coal production expected to rise from 116 million tonnes annually to 250–300 million tonnes by 2033, the district’s transport network faces mounting pressure.
The minister proposed widening State Highway‑63 (Chhendipada–Angul) from two lanes to four lanes, constructing bypasses in congested stretches, and expanding the Chhendipada–Jarapada Road to connect mining areas with NH‑55 and the railway corridor.
These measures, he argued, would ease traffic, reduce accidents, and create an alternative route for coal transport.
Pradhan emphasised that improved connectivity would not only streamline coal logistics but also attract new investments, boost socio‑economic development, and strengthen India’s energy security.
