In a major infrastructure push for Odisha, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a new coastal highway connecting Rameshwar to Paradip at an estimated cost of ₹8,300.79 crore. The ambitious project is expected to transform connectivity along the state’s coastline while boosting tourism, trade, logistics, and regional economic development.
The 160.18-kilometre-long corridor will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) and executed in two packages. The highway will pass through four key coastal districts—Khordha, Puri, Kendrapara, and Jagatsinghpur—creating a modern transport link across some of Odisha’s most important economic and tourism regions.
According to project details, the Rameshwar–Konark section will be developed as a four-lane highway, while the Konark–Paradip stretch will be constructed as a two-lane road with paved shoulders. The entire corridor has been designed to support vehicle speeds of up to 100 km per hour, ensuring faster and safer travel.
The proposed highway aims to address longstanding transportation challenges along Odisha’s coastal belt. Existing routes, particularly the Puri–Satapada and Puri–Konark corridors, often experience congestion due to poor road geometry, ribbon development, local traffic movements, and increasing tourist footfall. The new highway is expected to provide a seamless alternative route, significantly improving travel efficiency.
Officials believe the project will strengthen regional mobility by facilitating quicker movement of both passengers and freight. Improved road connectivity is also expected to encourage tourism growth in destinations such as Puri, Konark, Satapada, and Paradip, while enhancing access to coastal communities and industrial hubs.
The project has been planned in alignment with the Centre’s PM GatiShakti National Master Plan and is expected to improve connectivity to nine economic nodes and five logistics nodes. By integrating major transport and economic centres, the corridor will play a crucial role in strengthening Odisha’s logistics network and supporting industrial expansion.
One of the most significant benefits of the project will be the reduction in travel time between Rameshwar and Paradip by nearly two-and-a-half hours. Faster travel is expected to reduce fuel consumption, lower vehicle operating costs, and cut carbon emissions, contributing to both economic and environmental gains.
Infrastructure experts view the approval as a landmark investment in Odisha’s transport sector. Beyond improving connectivity, the highway is expected to generate employment during the construction phase, attract new investments, support coastal tourism, and enhance overall economic activity across the region.
With the approval now in place, the project marks a major step towards creating a modern coastal transport corridor that could reshape connectivity and development along Odisha’s eastern shoreline for decades to come.
