Odisha: Govt keen to finish infra, heritage projects on time

BHUBANESWAR: The Naveen Patnaik government is keen to complete on time the several iconic infrastructure and heritage projects it has taken up during its 5th term under the 5T initiative.
The progress of these projects is being reviewed by the chief minister’s office at regular interval while instructions have been issued to ensure quality of construction and timely completion of the iconic projects.
Among the top-priority projects taken up by the state government include upgrade of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, the first phase of which is targeted to be completed by January 2024.
The Naveen Patnaik government has already unveiled a Rs 3,500-crore re-development plan to upgrade the oldest medical college and hospital of the state established in 1944 into an institute of national repute.
The redevelopment work is being taken up over 175 acres in two phases. In the first phase, a 3,500-bed facility will be developed which will be enhanced to 5,000 beds in the second phase.
Some of the other iconic projects whose progress is being closely monitored at the highest level include the Netaji bus terminal in Cuttack, the inter-state bus terminal (ISBT) project at Baramunda in the city, redevelopment of Suando, the native place of Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das in Puri district and construction of Odia University at Satyabadi. All these projects will be unveiled before 2024.
“Since all these above-mentioned projects are listed as the top-priority projects, we don’t want any compromise on their expeditious implementation. The implementing agencies and the engineers have been asked to work with full commitment for timely completion with quality construction,” said a government official requesting anonymity.
Infrastructure development apart, projects like the heritage corridor project around Puri Jagannath Temple and iconic Shree Setu are under implementation in Puri.
Redevelopment of other religious places like Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar, Samaleswari temple at Sambalpur and other iconic religious places in different parts of the state have also been taken up under 5T.