Bhubaneswar, Nov 19: Work on the long-awaited Coastal Highway project in Odisha is set to begin soon, state Works Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said Monday, adding that the process will start immediately after approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).

Harichandan said the Finance Ministry’s Appraisal Committee has already cleared the project proposal, paving the way for construction to move forward. “The decades-long wait of the people of Odisha is finally coming to an end,” he said.

The first phase of the project, including alignment from Rameswar to Paradip, has been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 8,300 crore. The plan includes a four-lane road from Rameswar to Konark and a double-lane paved shoulder (DLPS) road from Konark to Paradip.

Once the pending CCA approval is received, the National Highways Authority of India will begin tendering and execution activities, the minister said. Nearly 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the required land has already been acquired.

Harichandan also blamed the previous state government for the long delay in the project. He alleged repeated changes to road alignment and lack of cooperation held up progress intentionally.

“The previous government worked to obstruct the project so that the Coastal Highway would not move forward and Prime Minister Modi would not receive credit,” he said.