Bhubaneswar: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has received a strong response from bidders for the construction of the 160-km access-controlled greenfield coastal National Highway from Rameshwar to Paradeep in Odisha.
NHAI had invited bids for the project in two packages, with both receiving encouraging participation.
The 79.4-km Rameshwar to Konark Package-I, planned as a four-lane access-controlled highway, received 10 bids. The 80.7-km Konark to Paradeep Package-II, planned as a two-lane highway with paved shoulders, received seven bids.
The project will be awarded under the Hybrid Annuity Mode, according to an official statement.
The Rameshwar-Paradeep coastal highway project was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in June 2026. The project has a combined total capital cost of Rs 8,300.79 crore.
During construction, the project is expected to generate 53.6 lakh direct man-days and 67 lakh indirect man-days of employment.
The highway will have a design speed of 100 kmph and provide direct and faster connectivity to major tourist destinations, including the Sri Jagannath Temple, Puri Beach and Konark Sun Temple.
The project is expected to reduce travel time between Rameshwar and Paradeep by about two hours and 30 minutes.
The Rameshwar-Paradeep section of the Coastal Highway will also provide an alternative route to NH-16 and NH-316. It will improve connectivity to Puri, Konark, Paradeep Port and the upcoming Puri International Airport.
The corridor will also facilitate smoother transportation to developing ports such as Astarang and Subarnarekha. It will provide connectivity to Khurda, Puri, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur districts.
The existing NH-16 is part of the Golden Quadrilateral and passes through major towns such as Khordha, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. NH-316 connects Bhubaneswar with Puri and extends further towards Satapada and Konark.
The existing Puri-Satapada and Puri-Konark stretches have nearly 40% ribbon development along the corridor, along with high local commuter traffic. This makes the existing corridor unsuitable for high-speed, long-distance vehicular movement.
The new Rameshwar-Paradeep corridor is expected to provide faster, access-controlled connectivity while reducing fuel consumption, carbon emissions, and vehicle operating costs.
The project is also expected to lower logistics costs and support economic growth across the region.
