Narendra Modi to lay foundation stone for Rs 3,318 cr highway projects in Odisha on Saturday

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for Rs 3,318 crore highway projects in Odisha on 5 January, the government said on Thursday. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi will do Bhoomi Pujan for three national highway projects of nearly 200 kilometres worth Rs 3,318 crore in Baripada in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha this Saturday," Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement. [caption id="attachment_5564841" align="alignleft" width="380"]

File image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. AP[/caption]The projects include four laning of Rimuli-Koida section of NH-215 (new NH-520), Koida-Rajamunda section of NH-215 (new NH-520) and Singara-Binjabahal section of NH-6 (new NH-49). The works include construction of four bypasses, three flyovers, 11 vehicular underpasses, 12 major bridges, 50 minor bridges and 34 kilometres of the service road. "The projects will improve inter-state connectivity between Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha, as also the connectivity of mineral-rich districts with other parts and ports of the state," the statement said. The projects are likely to contribute towards the generation of employment opportunities, along with substantial gains in terms of reduced operating cost of vehicles, it added.