Paradip to be made smart port, smart city, says Gadkari.

Paradip would be developed into a smart port and smart city with an investment of ₹40,000 crore as part of the Centre’s plan to bring about speedy development of Odisha, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced recently.

“The Centre is committed to speedy development of Odisha. While road network is being expanded in the state, Paradip will be made a smart port and smart city at a cost of ₹40,000 crore,” the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister said while laying the foundation stone for the second bridge on the Brahmani river here today.

To begin with, ₹2,700 crore will be provided for the project, he said.

An additional amount of ₹2,000 crore will be spent to increase the depth of Paradip port to enable it to handle a variety of vessels and cargo.

Stating that around ₹1.5 lakh crore is expected to be invested for expansion of highways and roads in the state in the near future, the minister said, the NDA government has increased the road construction rate to 23 km per day.

Gadkari said the new bridge over Brahmani river, being constructed at a cost of around ₹550 crore, would be completed in two years. The bridge would be part of a six-lane national highway from Rajamunda to Biramitrapur.

HBL