Ghadei for 4-laning of Chandikhol-Talcher road

BHUBANESWAR: Finance Minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadei has requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to pressurise the Centre for making budget  provision for four-laning of Chandikhol-Duburi-Talcher road.In a letter to the Chief Minister, Ghadei said traffic has increased manifold on 133 km stretch, making its upgradation necessary.The Cabinet Committee on economic affairs has already approved the  four-laning of the road at a cost of Rs 969 crore.However, the Surface  Transport ministry is yet to make a budgetary provision. Ghadei has requested the Chief Minister to take up the matter with the ministry and expedite the project.Ghadei said the road will connect Talcher through Naranpur and Kalinga Nagar industrial area with the mining belt of Keonjhar. Thousands of  trucks with chromite, iron ore, coal and other raw materials and finished products pass through this road daily, Ghadei said and added that traffic will further increase on this road after the completion of the Posco, Tata and Essar steel plants.He has proposed Naveen to upgrade the 37 km Chandikhol-Duburi and make it four-lane. This road, which connects Joda, Barbil and Keonjhar through Naranpur, should be brought under the control of state  works department from National Highway Authority of India, he said.Hundreds of trucks from Sukinda go to Paradip and other places daily with raw materials. If the second road is upgraded, the trucks can directly reach Chandikhol without passing through Panikoili, he said.The road work should be taken up on PPP mode, he said.