**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) is developing the 160.18 km Rameshwar–Paradeep Coastal Highway in Odisha at a total capital cost of ₹8,300.79 crore. This project aims to transform regional connectivity, reduce travel time by approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, and boost spiritual and eco-tourism across four coastal districts. The corridor is designed to strengthen the state's economic network by connecting major logistics hubs and religious landmarks.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Project Specifications and Infrastructure**
* **Total Length:** A 160.18 km corridor passing through Khurda, Puri, Kendrapada, and Jagatsinghpur districts.
* **Highway Design:** Features a 4-lane access-controlled highway from Rameshwar to Konark and a 2-lane highway with paved shoulders from Konark to Paradeep.
* **Design Speed:** Engineered for a design speed of 100 km/hour.
* **Time Efficiency:** Expected to reduce the travel time between Rameshwar and Paradeep by nearly 2 hours and 30 minutes.
**Spiritual and Cultural Connectivity**
* **Pilgrimage Links:** Provides faster access to iconic sites including the Jagannath Temple (Puri), Konark Sun Temple, and Ramchandi Temple.
* **Infrastructure Integration:** Complements upcoming airport infrastructure to position Odisha as a premier global spiritual tourism destination.
**Tourism and Environmental Conservation**
* **Unified Circuit:** Creates a tourism gateway linking beaches, heritage sites, and biodiversity hotspots.
* **Ecological Access:** Improves accessibility to wildlife areas and Gahirmatha turtle nesting sites.
* **Sustainability:** Encourages responsible tourism models and increases awareness of coastal biodiversity conservation.
**Economic and Logistics Development**
* **PM GatiShakti Alignment:** Connects 9 economic nodes and 5 logistics nodes to strengthen the state’s economic network.
* **Strategic Hubs:** Enhances access to Paradeep Port, Puri Railway Station, and Puri Airport.
* **Local Growth:** Facilitates opportunities for the growth of hotels, homestays, restaurants, and handicraft markets along the corridor.
**Impact Analysis**
**Tourists and Devotees**
**Impact**
Travelers will experience significantly reduced travel times and safer, more comfortable access to religious and cultural landmarks.
**Action Required**
Utilize the new 4-lane and 2-lane segments for transit between spiritual and recreational destinations once the corridor is operational.
**Local Communities and Small Businesses**
**Impact**
New economic opportunities will emerge for the hospitality, restaurant, and handicraft sectors due to increased visitor traffic.
**Action Required**
Invest in and develop tourism-based services, such as homestays and local markets, to cater to the growing number of travelers.
**Logistics and Freight Operators**
**Impact**
Improved freight connectivity between major hubs like Paradeep Port and regional economic nodes will enhance supply chain efficiency.
**Action Required**
Adjust logistics routes and schedules to take advantage of the 100 km/hour design speed and reduced transit times.
**Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH)**
**Impact**
Responsible for the development and funding of the ₹8,300.79 crore project to modernize Odisha's infrastructure.
**Action Required**
Oversee the construction and implementation of the project across the specified districts to ensure it meets design and safety standards.
Key Entities Referenced
Rameshwar–Paradeep Coastal Highway: A 160.18 km coastal corridor project designed to enhance connectivity between Odisha’s spiritual heritage sites, economic nodes, and logistics hubs.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH): The primary central ministry responsible for the development and implementation of the highway project with a capital cost of ₹8,300.79 crore.
PM GatiShakti: The national master plan for multi-modal connectivity whose principles guide the project's integration of economic and logistics nodes.
Khurda, Puri, Kendrapada, and Jagatsinghpur: The key coastal districts in Odisha that define the geographic scope and primary applicability of the highway project.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Odisha’s New Coastal Highway: A Gateway to
Spiritual Journeys and Coastal Tourism
Revolution
प्रव तथ: 19 JUL 2026 2:51PM by PIB Delhi
Odisha’s coastline is set to witness a major transformation with the construction of the new Rameshwar–
Paradeep Coastal Highway, a 160.18 km corridor that will redefine connectivity across the state’s coastal
belt. The project will be developed by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) with a total
capital cost of ₹8,300.79 crore. The highway will pass through Khurda, Puri, Kendrapada and
Jagatsinghpur districts, creating a seamless connection between important cultural, religious, tourism and
economic destinations.
Designed to provide faster, safer and smoother travel, the project includes a 4-lane access-controlled
highway from Rameshwar to Konark and a 2-lane highway with paved shoulders from Konark to
Paradeep, with a design speed of 100 km/hour. Once completed, the corridor is expected to reduce travel
time between Rameshwar and Paradeep by nearly 2 hours and 30 minutes, improving passenger
movement as well as freight connectivity.
Connecting Odisha’s Spiritual Heritage
The new coastal highway will become a major catalyst for religious and cultural tourism by creating faster
access to some of Odisha’s most iconic spiritual destinations.
The corridor will strengthen connectivity between the world-renowned Jagannath Temple in Puri, the
historic Konark Sun Temple, and the revered Ramchandi Temple, making pilgrimage journeys more
convenient for millions of devotees visiting Odisha every year.
Improved road infrastructure will not only reduce travel time but also enhance the overall pilgrimage
experience by providing safer and more comfortable movement for tourists and devotees. The upcoming
airport infrastructure in the region will further strengthen Odisha’s position as a major spiritual tourism
destination, enabling easier access for visitors from across India and the world.
Beyond transportation, the highway represents how modern infrastructure can support the preservation
and promotion of India’s cultural heritage by connecting people with historic temples, traditions and
spiritual centres.
From Puri to Paradeep: Odisha’s New Tourism Highway
The Rameshwar–Paradeep corridor is set to become a new coastal tourism gateway, linking beaches,
heritage sites, biodiversity hotspots and local communities along Odisha’s eastern coastline.With improved connectivity between Puri, Konark and Paradeep, these destinations will emerge as part of
a unified tourism circuit offering travellers a complete coastal experience — from spiritual heritage and
ancient architecture to beaches and natural ecosystems.
The highway will open new opportunities for beach tourism, eco-tourism and nature-based travel, while
providing easier access to important ecological destinations, including wildlife areas and the famous
Gahirmatha turtle nesting sites.
Better connectivity will also encourage sustainable tourism practices by increasing awareness about
Odisha’s unique coastal biodiversity and conservation efforts. Visitors will have greater access to natural
landscapes while supporting responsible tourism models that protect fragile ecosystems.
Boost to Local Economy and Coastal Development
The new highway will create opportunities for local communities by encouraging the growth of hotels,
homestays, restaurants, handicraft markets and tourism-based businesses along the corridor.
Aligned with the principles of PM GatiShakti, the project will connect 9 economic nodes and 5 logistics
nodes, further strengthening Odisha’s economic network. It will also improve access to important hubs
such as Paradeep Port, Puri Railway Station, Puri Airport and other regional economic centres.
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