Amit Shah & Naveen Patnaik launch national highway projects in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Paying rich tributes to freedom fighter and Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi on his death anniversary, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday inaugurated the much awaited four-laning of Kamakshyanagar-Duburi section of the National Highway-53 on EPC (Procurement and Construction) mode here in presence of Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

Shah, who was here on a two-day tour to this eastern state, started his programme with a tribute to Bordoloi and credited him as the person for whom the entire northeast region is now part of India. “Bordoloi, who was the first chief minister of Assam, made immense contribution to keep the northeast region as an integral part of India,” Shah said.

While thanking the state government and Odisha’s “popular” chief minister Naveen Patnaik, the Union home minister said the Centre has spent Rs 761 crore for four-laning the 51km national highway connecting Kamakshyanagar and Duburi.

"This road will link the mineral rich Angul and Dhenkanal districts with the NH and will act as an economy booster for the region," he said.

Describing the national highways as the "fate-line" of the nation, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always stressed on infrastructure development projects as they change the fate of a region.

"Like Odisha, people of Gujarat also worship Lord Jagannath. On August 5, 2019, Modi had taken the historic decision to scrap Article 370. On this occasion, I thank the PM on behalf of people of the country," Shah said.

"The naxal menace has been contained and there has been a drop in left-wing extremism. Odisha government has always supported the Centre to fight Naxalites,” he added.

Shah along with Patnaik also laid the foundation stone for the widening and strengthening of Moter to Banner via Ladugaon Road in Kalahandi district. The programme was held at the convention centre in Lok Seva Bhavan, the state secretariat, in Bhubaneswar.

The 51km-long 4-lane Kamkhyanagar and Duburi stretch has two major bridges, seven minor bridges, seven underpasses, two animal underpasses, and 1.73km long bypass.

For safe passage of wild animals through the stretch, a 160-metre and another 80-metre animal underpasses have also been constructed.

Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Minister, Odisha Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallik were also present on the occasion.

Shah, who reached Bhubaneswar on Friday night, is scheduled to hold review meetings on left-wing extremism (LWE) and disaster management with the state government officials on Saturday.

Later in the afternoon, Shah will hold a closed-door meeting with newly appointed state office bearers of the BJP and discuss the preparedness and strategies of the party for the next Lok Sabha and Assembly elections due in 2024.