The Network Planning Group (NPG), under the PM GatiShakti initiative, approved two major highway projects in Odisha during its meeting in New Delhi. The Sambalpur Ring Road and the Cuttack-Paradip corridor were among the 18 projects evaluated. This brings the total number of highway projects approved in Odisha to six in the past month. The Sambalpur Ring Road project, a four-lane road spanning 35.38 km, aims to ease congestion and promote industrial growth in the region. The greenfield project will be developed at a cost of Rs 13.33 billion, with construction expected to begin soon. The Cuttack-Paradip corridor, another four-lane project covering 86.79 km, will provide critical connectivity to economic hubs and the Paradip port. It also connects to other major highways, playing a vital role in the socio-economic development of the region. Last month, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways approved four other highway projects in Odisha worth Rs 150 billion, including the six-lane Bhubaneswar-Puri highway and the Chandikhole-Barbil corridor. Odisha has submitted additional proposals for four more national highway projects, including the Jharsuguda-Balasore and Nuapada-Astaranga highways, which are awaiting central approval. An NHAI official noted that the two newly approved projects will soon enter the bidding phase following statutory clearances, aligning with the PM GatiShakti initiative's goals of enhancing multimodal infrastructure and last-mile connectivity. (New Indian Express)