Parliament Question: Status of highways in southern districts of Odisha

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 575 ANSWERED ON - 04/02/2026 STATUS OF HIGHWAYS IN SOUTHERN DISTRICTS OF ODISHA 575. DR. SASMIT PATRA: Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has reviewed slow progress on key highway corridors including NH-326, NH-59, NH-130CD and rural roads linking Malkangiri, Rayagada and Koraput; (b) the details of sanctioned works, delays and cost escalations for Odisha’s southern districts; and (c) whether Government propose strict monitoring, contractor accountability and fast- tracking of these long-pending road projects essential for tribal mobility and economic integration? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI) (a) Government in the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways reviews the progress of all National Highway (NH) development projects in the country on regular basis on key highway corridors including NH-326, NH-59, NH-130CD passing through Malkangiri, Rayagada and Koraput. The construction of rural roads come under the jurisdiction of the State Government. (b) The details of sanctioned works in progress, delays and cost escalations for Odisha’s southern districts are given in Annexure. Besides these projects, Government on 31.12.2025, has approved the project proposal for widening & strengthening of NH-326 from km 68.600 to km 311.700 to 2 lane with paved shoulder configuration in the State of Odisha on EPC mode at a total capital cost Rs.1526.21 crore with the condition to ensure availability of encumbrance free land for 90% of length before awarding the contract.(c) To fast-track projects and expedite project execution, the Government has undertaken various initiatives. These include streamlining and expediting land acquisition using “Bhoomirashi” portal and GIS-based Land Acquisition Plan, revamping “Parivesh” Portal through Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, to facilitate faster forest and environmental clearances, enabling online approval of General Arrangement of Drawings (GAD) of Road Over Bridge/Road Under Bridge (ROB/RUB) from the Railways, and leveraging the mechanism of review and resolution of bottlenecks / hindrances in ongoing projects, in active collaboration with the State Governments and other stakeholders. Government has also launched a web portal for Railway related clearances with defined timelines for various approvals. Government has put in place a strong framework using multiple mechanisms for monitoring project progress and contractor inefficiencies. Regular review meetings are conducted at various levels with stakeholders to assess project progress, and critical projects, such as those delayed by more than three years or pending for award / appointment. The State Governments conduct coordination meetings led by the Chief Secretary to resolve issues affecting project execution. Projects where issues remain unresolved are escalated for further review through the Project Monitoring Group and also through “PRAGATI”.Annexure ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY OF RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 575 FOR 04-02-2026 ASKED BY DR. SASMIT PATRA REGARDING STATUS OF HIGHWAYS IN SOUTHERN DISTRICTS OF ODISHA NH works in progress in southern districts of Odisha Sche Delay a Cost Es Dat Sanc Ap Dist duled s on 31. calatio Sr. e of tione Len poi ricts Com 01.2026 n (Rs. i No Name of the Work San d Cogth ( nte invo pletio (No. of n Cr.) . ctio st (C km) d D lved n DatDays) if due to n r.) ate e any delay Widening to two lane with paved should 25- 28- er of Bhanjanagar to Aska road of NH-1 Gan 05- 03- 27-09 1 57 from km 119/000 to 159/500 (Design 87.77 40.5 857 1.04 jam 202 202-2023 chainage km 117/000 to 157/500) in the 1 2 state of Odisha on EPC mode. Widening & strengthenlng to 2L+PS fro 31- 05- m km 0.000 to 40.000 (Dhaugaon- Poda Gan 03- 186.5 02- 04-02No Dela 2 40 0 mari section) of NH 326 in the State of jam 202 2 202-2026 y Odisha under Annual Plan 2021.22. 2 4 Widening of existing road of Kalinga G hat in Valley side for elimination of Bla ck spot using innovative Reinforced Ear 31- 28- Kan th Composite/Hybrid system from km 8 03- 0.30 08- 27-08 3 dha 29.69 522 0 6/330 to 86/615 including Reconstructio 202 5 20 -2024 mal n Minor Bridge at Ch. 86/700 of NH-15 2 23 7 in the State of Odisha under Annual Pl an 2021-22. Realignment from km 227/700 to 227/9 70, km 233/260 to 233/980, km 234/090 27- 07- to 234/860 and km 235/980 to 236/770 Kala 02- 06- 28-11 4 of NH-26 (Missing section of Bhawanip han 28.26 2.48 64 0.12 202 202-2025 atna - Koksara stretch) on EPC mode in di 3 4 the State of Odisha under Annual Plan 2 022-23. Widening and strengthening to 2L+PS o 22- 16- f NH-26 from km 367/480 to 376/480 f Kor 03- 03- 15-09 5 44.06 9.00 138 0.7 or the year 2022-23 under NH(O) in the aput 202 202-2025 State of Odisha. 3 4 Construction of Bypass on NH-59 from 31- 30- Km 336/350 to 349/910 (13.56 km) neaGan 03- 196.913.5 03- 29-03 6 673 8.2 r Berhampur town including 4-lane RoB jam 202 4 6 202-2024 in the state of Odisha. 1 2Construction of four lane bypass to Jeyp 22- 22- ore town on NH-26 including land acqui Kor 03- 135.1 05- 12-11 7 4.91 445 4.16 sition in the State of Odisha under Annuaput 202 8 202-2024 al Plan 2021-22. 2 3 Construction of Kotpad Bypass to two l 24- 05- ane with paved shoulder configuration o Kor 03- 14.3 01- 04-07 8 74.48 211 1.49 n NH-63 in the State of Odisha under Aaput 202 1 202-2025 nnual Plan 2021-22. 2 4 Construction of Borigumma Bypass on 20- 26- NH-26 from km 317.400 to km 320.700 Kor 12- 09- 19-03No Dela 9 (design chainage 317.400 to km 321.41 69.48 4.02 0 aput 202 202-2027 y 5) under NH(O) in Annual Plan 2022-2 2 5 3 for the State of Odisha Construction of Dharmagarh Bypass on 13- 30- Kala NH-130C including land acquisition in t 03- 172.6 04- 21-10No Dela 10 han 7.14 0 he State of Odisha on EPC mode under 202 6 202-2026 y di Annual Plan 2022-23 3 5 27- 02- Construction of Bypass road on NH-26 Nab 03- 168.9 12- 01-12No Dela 11 for Nabarangpur town under Annual Plaaran 9.12 0 202 5 202-2026 y n 2022-23. gpur 3 4 Construction of 4 HL bridges at Ch. 377 30- 22- /420, Ch. 423/800, Ch. 433/750 and Ch Mal 03- 05- 21-05 12 . 484/500 on Malkangiri-Motu Road on kan 67.88 4.47 255 1.29 202 202-2025 NH-326 in the State of Odisha under An giri 2 3 nual Plan 2021-22. Construction of 4 lane ROB with approa ches in lieu of LC No. RV-172 at km 17 30- 10- Kala 6.00 of NH-201 (present NH-26) at Kes 12- 324.03.55 05- 08-05 13 han 268 3.85 inga including land acquisition in the sta 202 9 7 202-2025 di te of Odisha on EPC mode under Annua 1 3 l Plan 2021-22 Construction of new Minor Bridge acro 27- 11- ss Jeriguda Nallah at km 297/520 (Desi Kor 02- 03- 10-09 14 gn Ch.) of NH-326 including approache 8.81 0.6 143 0.3 aput 202 202-2025 s in the State of Odisha on EPC mode u 3 4 nder Annual Plan 2022-23. Construction of new bridge over Sagada 28- 30- Kala river at Ch. 192/030 on NH-26 includin 02- 05- 20-11No Dela 15 han 39.07 2.14 0 g approaches in the State of Odisha on 202 202-2026 y di EPC mode under Annual Plan 2022-23. 3 5 Construction of new bridge over Ret riv 28- 25- er at Ch. 149/753 on NH-26 including aKala 02- 04- 16-10No Dela 16 pproaches and LA in the State of Odish han 39.1 1.82 0 202 202-2026 y a on EPC mode under Annual Plan 202 di 3 5 2-23. Reconstruction of culverts at km 388/49 14- 09- 5, km 396/407, km 409/710 & km 415/0 Kor 01- 1.401 05- 08-05No Dela 17 0.02 0 61 of NH-26 in the State of Odisha for taput 202 7 202-2026 y he year 2023-24 4 5Rehabilitation of Railway Over Bridge 18- 30- at Rayagada from km 202/175 to 202/79 Ray 11- 0.83 07- 29-01 18 0 and Nagavali River bridge from km 1agad 3.45 2 0 202 0 202-2026 92/797 to 193/050 of NH-326 under ite a 4 5 m rate contract in the State of Odisha 06- 06- Onetime Improvement of Kalasandhapu Gan 02- 08- 05-02No Dela 19 r town portion on NH-59 from km 303.9 4.88 2.14 0 jam 202 202-2026 y 60 to 306.100 for the year 2024-25 5 5 Development of 6L Greenfield Dhanara to Hatibena section of NH 130CD Road 11- 25- Nab (From km. 124+$61 to km.146+500) un 02- 477.721.8 03- 23-03 20 aran 677 1.91 der Raipur- Visakhapatnam economic c 202 6 4 202-2024 gpur orridor in the state of Odisha, on Hybrid 1 2 Annuity Mode (Package OD-1) Development of 6L Greenfield Hatibena to Badakumari section o'l NH-130CD R 11- 04- Nab oad (From km 146+500 to km 179+000 02- 791.132.5 03- 02-03 21 aran 700 0 ) under Raipur-Visakhapatnam economi 202 7 0 202-2024 gpur c corridor in the state of Odisha, on Hyb 1 2 rid Annuity Mode (Package 0D-2) Development of 6L Greenfield Badaku mari to Karki section of NH- 130CD Ro 25- 13- Nab ad (From km 179+000 to km 226+500) 03- 1101.47.5 04- 11-04 22 aran 660 3.68 under Raipur- Visakhapatnam economic 202 76 0 202-2024 gpur corridor in the state of Odisha, on Hybri 1 2 d Annuity Mode (Package OD-3) Development of 6L Greenfield Badaku mari to Karki section of NH- 130CD Ro 03- 30- ad (From km 179+000 to km 226+500) Kor 09- 1577. 05- 29-05 23 44 612 5.37 under Raipur- Visakhapatnam economic aput 202 56 202-2024 corridor in the state of Odisha, on Hybri 1 2 d Annuity Mode (Package OD-3) Development of 6L Greenfield Baunsag ura to Baraja section of NH-130CD Roa 22- 01- d from Km.293+000 to Km.338+500 u Kor 09- 1294.45.5 06- 31-05 24 610 2.70 nder Raipur-Visakhapatna m economic aput 202 77 0 202-2024 corridor in the state of Odisha, on Hybri 1 2 d Annuity Mode (Package 0D-6) Development of 6L Greenfield Kandili t o Tumbigura section of NH-130CD Roa 20- 17- d from Km. 342+500 to Km. 365+033 Kor 12- 1492.22.5 10- 16-10 25 472 0 under Raipur-Visakhapatnam economic aput 202 74 3 202-2024 corridor in the state of Odisha, on Hybri 1 2 d Annuity Mode (Package OD-8) *****