New Delhi, Dec 02: The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has taken up a detailed review of National Highways (NHs) Network with a view to improve connectivity in border areas including coastal boundary / connectivity covering development of about 7,000 km of new NHs under Bharatmala Pariyojna in consultation with State Governments.
The proposed programme is, inter-alia, envisaged to include development of road connectivity to some non-major ports also. However, project is yet to be formally launched.
Government of Odisha had initially submitted proposal / estimates for road connectivity to Dhamra Port, Chudamani Port, Gopalpur Port, Subarnarekha Mouth Port, Astaranga Port and Baliharchandi Port in the State with the National Highways Network.
Later it was clarified that Government of Odisha had signed Concession Agreement/MOU with different private port developers to develop these non-major ports in the State in PPP mode and the road connectivity to these ports was included in the respective agreements of the port developers with the State Government. In light of the above developments, the feasibility studies for development of four lane connectivity to the aforementioned ports in the State of Odisha were terminated by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
