The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has asked the Odisha government to quickly clear long-pending approvals—especially forest land diversion permissions—for two major ring road projects. These projects, worth a total of Rs 7,500 crore, have been stuck for over two years, mostly because of delays in getting environmental clearances.
1. Capital Region Ring Road (CRRR) – A Game-Changer for Bhubaneswar & Cuttack
- Length: 111 km
- Cost: Rs 6,100 crore
- Purpose: To reduce traffic congestion in and around Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and nearby towns like Khordha, Choudwar, and Athagarh.
This will be a six-lane expressway built under the Bharatmala Pariyojana (a national highway development program). It aims to reroute heavy vehicles and long-distance traffic away from city roads, easing pressure on urban areas.
- Status:
Land acquisition began in June 2022. Construction will happen in three phases, but progress has stalled due to forest clearance issues.
2. Sambalpur Ring Road – Fueling Growth in Western Odisha
- Length: 35 km
- Cost: Rs 1,333 crore
- Design: A four-lane greenfield corridor (built from scratch, not over existing roads)
This ring road will circle 19 villages around Sambalpur, aiming to boost industrial and regional connectivity.
- Land Requirement: 290 hectares total
- Private land: 170 hectares
- Government land (mostly forest): 120 hectares
- Status:
Land acquisition is already completed, but environmental (forest) clearances are still pending, especially for the government-owned land.
The Forest Clearance Hurdle
Both ring road projects are being delayed due to forest land diversion issues. In Sambalpur alone, 120 hectares of forested government land need clearance before construction can begin.
Without these approvals, work cannot start, despite land already being acquired in some cases.
Odisha’s Own Decongestion Master Plan (Parallel to NHAI Projects)
While waiting for NHAI projects to move forward, the Odisha government has also launched its own urban traffic decongestion strategy, with a separate budget of Rs 7,000 crore.
This includes:
- 64-km Inner Ring Road (from Tamando to Paikrapur)
- 148-km Outer Ring Road
- An elevated road from Jayadev Vihar to Nandankanan
- Three new flyovers
- Widening of major city roads
These efforts are focused on modernizing traffic infrastructure in and around Bhubaneswar, aiming to handle future urban expansion and reduce gridlock.
Summary
| Project | Length | Cost | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRRR (Capital Region Ring Road) | 111 km | ₹6,100 crore | Land acquisition ongoing; awaiting forest clearance |
| Sambalpur Ring Road | 35 km | ₹1,333 crore | Land acquired; forest clearance pending |
