Biju Expressway hits funds roadblock

BHUBANESWAR: One of the major projects of the State government, the Biju Expressway is languishing due to want of adequate budgetary support. The project, announced in the 2014 election manifesto of the ruling BJD, was supposed to be completed in phases by 2024. The first phase has already been delayed by three years and the project cost has escalated to around Rs 5,000 crore.

In March last year, the State Cabinet had approved a provision of Rs 448.02 crore for construction and widening of the Biju Expressway. Official sources said due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all economic activities came to a standstill and the required budgetary provisions could not be made for the project. However in the 2022-23 budget, Rs 300 crore provision was made for the project. Sources said the actual budgetary provision for the project can only be decided in the full budget which is scheduled to be placed in July 2022.