Protest Rally and Demonstration Against Proposed Coastal Highway Route Change
Kakatpur, 22/2 – The Astaranga Coastal Action Committee has strongly opposed the changes made to the proposed route map of the Coastal Highway under the Central Government’s Sagarmala Project. Under the leadership of Committee President Sabar Behera, Secretary Bidyadhar Senapati, and members Ganesh Chandra Dalai, Bijay Khandual, Bholanath Behera, Mitu Behera, Gyanaranjan Behera, and Krushnachandra Behera, hundreds of fishermen carried out a massive rally at the Astaranga market, followed by a protest in front of the local Tehsil office.
Public resentment has been growing in the region following the reported change in the originally approved alignment of the highway. The fishermen’s community has warned that unless the highway is constructed as per the original plan, no road construction work will be allowed in the coastal region of Astaranga.
Originally, the Sagarmala Project proposed that the coastal highway would be built along the seashore. However, after a gap of several years, a final revised map has emerged showing a 20 km inland deviation from the coasts of Puri and neighboring Jagatsinghpur districts. This change has surprised intellectuals and concerned citizens alike and has met with fierce opposition from the local fishing community.
The fishermen emphasized that the revised alignment defeats the very purpose of a “coastal highway” and undermines their livelihoods. The highway is expected to pass through Khordha, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore districts, with an estimated cost running into thousands of crores of rupees.
Earlier land acquisition notices for the project were also withdrawn and replaced with new notices, prompting further outrage among the public and community leaders.
