Bhubaneswar (SunstarTV Bureau): Once again the controversial Gopalpur-Digha coastal highway fresh alignment has triggered a political bickering in Odisha with BJD and BJP blaming each other over the development.
BJD party leader and Deputy Chairman of State Planning Board Sanjay Das Burma bashed upon the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s qouted clarification on the new alignment of the highway. Das Burma has claimed that the length of the proposed highway has been reduced from 430 km to 382 km.
“What I suspected earlier has proved true now when Union Minister Nitin Gadkari replied to an unstarred question on February 8 in Rajya Sabha that the length of coastal highway connecting Gopalpur to Digha has been reduced from 430km to 382km. The minister informed the House that the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment approved the new alignment which indicates that the proposed coastal highway will now start from Tangi in Khurda instead of Satpada,” Das Burma said.
He demanded that the highway should be built as per the original alignment.
“I appeal to the leaders cutting across party lines to come forward collectively without making it a political issue. Coastal highway will herald a new era in the field of tourism, business and communication in Odisha. So, it should be constructed as per the original alignment,” he added.
Earlier, the Union Minister had also discussed the matter with the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. “I wonder how the Centre can change the alignment even after a thorough discussion with CM. If the construction is made as per the fresh decision, it would go against the interest of the State,” he added.
On the other hand, State BJP general secretary Lekhashree Smantsinghar rubbished BJD’s claim, saying that the regional party is habituated in blaming the Centre without substantiating with appropriate facts and figures.
The Central government is always in favour of the interests of Odisha in every aspect. The BJD should refrain from doing politics in every matter, she added.
