New Four‑Lane Highway Links Puri, Konark and Paradeep Enhancing Tourism

Odisha’s eastern coast will soon host a state‑of‑the‑art highway covering 160.18 km at an outlay of 8,300.79 crore rupees. The corridor will begin with a four‑lane, access‑controlled stretch from Rameswar to Konark before narrowing to two lanes up to Paradeep.

With a design speed of 100 km/h, the road promises to shave about two and a half hours from the current travel duration, making movement of people and goods considerably faster. The highway connects nine economic nodes and five logistics hubs, directly linking Paradeep port, Puri railway station and the planned Puri airport.

Running through Khurda, Puri, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts, the route ties together major cultural landmarks – the Jagannath Temple, Konark Sun Temple and Ramchandi Temple – thereby improving pilgrimage logistics for millions of devotees each year.

The improved infrastructure is set to boost beach tourism, heritage tours and eco‑tourism, opening easier access to coastal resorts, biodiversity hotspots and the Gahirmatha turtle nesting sanctuary. Local entrepreneurs anticipate growth in hotels, homestays, restaurants and handicraft markets along the corridor.