₹579 Crore Jayadev Vihar-Nandankanan Elevated Corridor: Soil Testing Begins in Bhubaneswar
Soil testing is now underway at key points along the planned route of the Jayadev Vihar-Nandankanan elevated corridor in Bhubaneswar, marking the first major step towards the 9.5-km project aimed at easing traffic between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
The Odisha state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, approved the project on July 1. It has been awarded on a turnkey basis to Dineshchandra R Agrawal Infracon Pvt Ltd, the lowest bidder, at a core works cost of ₹579 crore (excluding GST), forming part of a larger administrative sanction of approximately ₹949 crore from the state Works Department. The project is targeted for completion within 24 months and carries a 10-year defect liability and maintenance period.
The corridor will run from Kalinga Stadium Gate No. 4 to Raghunathpur Bridge, widening the existing six-lane stretch to an eight-lane carriageway with a central high-capacity carriageway and dedicated service roads. Key elements include a four-lane cable-stayed bridge over the NH-16 flyover at Jayadev Vihar — the first of its kind in Odisha — along with flyovers at Kalinga Hospital Square, Damana Square and KIIT Square.
Initial soil investigation is being carried out near Kalinga Stadium, Jayadev Vihar, Kalinga Hospital Square, Damana and KIIT Square, with boreholes between 10 and 15 feet deep being drilled to assess soil strength and load-bearing capacity. The full geotechnical exercise is expected to eventually cover around 180 locations along the corridor. The Works department will separately approach the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for permission to construct the section crossing the NH overbridge near Jayadev Vihar Square.
The corridor is intended to serve as a major arterial route connecting Bhubaneswar and Cuttack through Baranga, reducing congestion and travel time on one of the city's busiest stretches.