Puri and Bhubaneswar to Merge Through Mega Commercial Corridor
Bhubaneswar, 08/04: A 60-kilometer-long commercial corridor will connect Puri and Bhubaneswar, leading to the birth of a new township. An 8-lane expressway will run through the center, flanked by star hotels, restaurants, apartments, shopping malls, petrol pumps, and handloom markets. The Odisha government has planned this mega commercial corridor to integrate these two historic cities.
This project aims to create a brand-new, modern, high-rise urban space connecting Puri and Bhubaneswar. The proposal includes a completely new 60-kilometer expressway from Bhubaneswar to Puri, with commercial infrastructure developed on both sides. Farmlands and villages between the cities will be converted into a high-tech township.
The expressway will not use any portion of existing roads but will be built entirely anew. It will begin from the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar and directly reach the proposed Shree Jagannath International Airport in Puri. It will not intersect with existing roads or the old national highway. Designed for vehicles to travel at speeds up to 120 km/h, the distance between Bhubaneswar and Puri can be covered in just half an hour.
As per official sources, the proposed expressway will initially pass through Sundarpada from the Bhubaneswar airport, then follow along the banks of the Daya River. Near Dhauli, it will veer to the right, bypassing Dhauli and Pipili, staying at a good distance from the current national highway. The route will pass behind the Sakhigopal temple area and proceed straight to the proposed Shree Jagannath Airport. Preparations for a preliminary survey are currently underway.
According to the main plan, a 55 to 60-kilometer-long expressway will be constructed. Around 1,100 meters (1.1 km) of land width will need to be acquired for this. An 8-lane road will be constructed—4 lanes on each side. Excluding the road portion, a 500-meter-wide area on both the left and right sides will be developed as a commercial corridor stretching from Bhubaneswar to Puri.
This commercial corridor will house apartments, star hotels, shopping malls, multiplexes, markets, and parks. It will be promoted as a tourist hub. Odisha’s art, culture, sculpture, and handicrafts will be highlighted along the route. According to preliminary estimates, the expressway will cost over ₹7,000 crore.
The source of funding for this expressway is yet to be finalized. The central Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has already agreed to provide funds if the state government provides the land. The state is currently evaluating funding sources and is considering executing the project through the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model. Under this model, the construction agency will invest initially and then be allowed to commercially operate the project for a few years to recover their investment.
Every day, lakhs of tourists and pilgrims travel between Ekamra Kshetra (Bhubaneswar) and Shri Kshetra (Puri). Currently, the journey via National Highway 316 takes over an hour by car and is often plagued by traffic jams.
