Bhubaneswar: In a major infrastructure initiative ahead of the upcoming local body elections, the Odisha Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved projects worth nearly ₹30,000 crore for the construction and upgradation of rural roads and bridges across the state.
The ambitious package includes the development of approximately 50,000 kilometres of roads and the construction of around 3,837 bridges and bridge-like structures, aimed at strengthening rural connectivity and accelerating economic development in remote areas.
The projects have been approved under various components of the Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojana (MMSY) and other infrastructure schemes.
Strengthening Rural Road Connectivity
Under the MMSY–Connecting Missing Road Links (CMRL) programme, the Cabinet approved ₹1,917 crore for implementation between 2025-26 and 2029-30. The scheme aims to bridge critical connectivity gaps by constructing nearly 3,850 km of roads linking villages, blocks, districts and neighbouring states.
The MMSY–Improvement to Existing RD Roads programme received an allocation of ₹5,750 crore to upgrade around 17,500 km of rural roads over the next five years, including the completion of ongoing projects.
The Cabinet also approved ₹4,000 crore for new road projects covering approximately 4,607 km under another component of the scheme to be implemented between 2026-27 and 2030-31.
The largest component in terms of road coverage is the MMSY–Transferred Roads Improvement Programme (TRIP), under which ₹6,700 crore will be spent to upgrade nearly 25,500 km of roads over five years.
Focus on Remote and Difficult Areas
To improve connectivity in remote and challenging terrains, the Cabinet approved ₹1,300 crore under the MMSY–Connecting Unconnected Villages in Difficult Areas (CUVDA) scheme.
The programme will facilitate the construction and improvement of around 1,150 km of roads while also completing 949 km of ongoing works in Left Wing Extremism-affected, hilly and inaccessible regions of the state.
Major Investment in Bridges
The Cabinet also approved the extension of the Setu Bandhan Yojana (SBY) with an outlay of ₹11,000 crore.
Under the scheme, 1,750 new bridges will be constructed and 1,417 ongoing bridge projects will be completed, significantly improving connectivity across rivers and difficult terrains.
Additionally, the Bridge-cum-Weir Scheme received approval with a budget of ₹600 crore. The programme will support 508 new projects and complete 162 ongoing works, providing both transportation connectivity and water conservation benefits.
Political Significance
The large-scale infrastructure push comes at a crucial political juncture, with Odisha expected to head into three-tier Panchayat and Urban Local Body elections next year.
Political observers view the announcement as one of the biggest rural infrastructure commitments in the state’s history. The elections will be the first major grassroots test for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since assuming power in 2024, while the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) seeks to maintain its strong presence in local governance institutions.
With investments spanning roads, bridges and connectivity in remote regions, the government hopes the programme will boost rural development, improve access to essential services and strengthen economic activity across Odisha.
