Travellers in Odisha, Telangana and Bihar could soon enjoy faster and smoother road travel after the Union Cabinet approved highway projects worth Rs 24,249 crore. The projects include a new coastal highway in Odisha, four-lane National Highway corridors in Telangana and a major highway upgrade in Bihar aimed at reducing congestion and improving connectivity.
The Centre said the projects will help cut travel time, improve road safety, lower fuel consumption and strengthen links between key economic and logistics hubs. The approvals are part of the government’s broader push to improve road infrastructure under the PM GatiShakti initiative.
Rs 24,249 crore road infrastructure push approved
The Cabinet has approved major highway projects spanning more than 490 km across Odisha, Telangana and Bihar.
The projects include a new coastal highway between Rameshwar and Paradeep in Odisha, widening of key National Highway stretches in Telangana and upgradation of the Khagaria-Purnea corridor in Bihar. The projects are expected to improve connectivity, support freight movement and boost regional economic activity.
Officials said the projects will help ease congestion on existing routes while providing faster and safer connectivity for both passenger and commercial traffic.
Odisha coastal highway to reduce travel time by 2.5 hours
The biggest project among the approvals is the new 160.18-km coastal highway between Rameshwar and Paradeep in Odisha, approved at a cost of Rs 8,300.79 crore.
The project will pass through Khurda, Puri, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur districts. It includes a four-lane access-controlled highway between Rameshwar and Konark and a two-lane highway with paved shoulders between Konark and Paradeep.
According to the government, the new corridor is expected to reduce travel time between Rameshwar and Paradeep by around two hours and 30 minutes. The highway will also improve connectivity to ports, tourism destinations, fishing clusters and industrial hubs along Odisha’s coastline.
Telangana travellers set for faster travel on upgraded NH corridors
The Cabinet has approved Rs 7,597.16 crore for widening the Armoor-Jagtial-Mancherial section of NH-63 and the Jagtial-Karimnagar section of NH-563 in Telangana.
The project covers 190.76 km and will upgrade the corridors to four-lane standards with bypasses around congested urban stretches. The highways pass through Nizamabad, Jagtial, Mancherial and Karimnagar districts.
Once completed, travel time between Armoor and Mancherial is expected to reduce by around one hour and 30 minutes. The journey between Jagtial and Karimnagar could become nearly 45 minutes shorter.
The upgraded corridors are expected to ease congestion, improve road safety and support faster movement of goods and passengers.
Bihar NH upgrade to improve regional connectivity
In Bihar, the Cabinet approved a Rs 3,936.05 crore project to upgrade the 143.53-km Khagaria-Purnea section of NH-31 and NH-231 to four-lane standards.
The project will address congestion, sharp curves and safety concerns across Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Katihar and Purnia districts. It also includes a 6.73-km greenfield bypass for Purnea city.
The government said the upgraded corridor will improve travel speeds, reduce journey time and strengthen connectivity between major towns, railway stations and economic hubs across the region.
What it means for travellers
The government says the highway projects will:
- Reduce travel time across key routes
- Ease congestion in busy stretches
- Improve road safety
- Lower fuel consumption and vehicle operating costs
- Improve connectivity to ports, railway stations and industrial hubs
- Support economic activity and job creation
