New Delhi: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Manas Mangaraj Thursday raised concern over the delay in coastal highway project in Odisha and requested the Union government to take steps for the completion of the 346 km project. The BJD MP raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour. Mangaraj said the project, connecting several districts of the state, was announced by the Union government in 2015. He asked the Union government to come up with a detailed project report highlighting the status of the implementation of the project. “The project would have proved an important development in terms of trade, tourism, communication and industry.
However, there has been undefined delay in the development of the project. It comprises two parts – connecting Rameswar to Ratanpur and Ratanpur to Digha. It was to be developed under the four packages,” Mangaraj said. The BJD MP said that the Union government cancelled the first two packages without any defined reason. The Centre gave clearance to two packages but the project was stopped due to environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Mangaraj said, adding that the clearance was given in August 2023 but there has been no headway made by the Centre. “The Central government needs to work for completion of the project as soon as possible because eight years have already passed since the announcement of the project and no significant development has been made as of now,” Mangaraj said.