Travel from Jamshedpur to Odisha and Kolkata to get easier
Rs 936-crore Pardih-Baliguma elevated corridor gets clearance
Pioneer News Service
Jamshedpur
The long-awaited Pardih-Baliguma elevated corridor project has received a major boost after the Jharkhand Government recommended the diversion of protected forest land required for its construction, clearing one of the biggest obstacles delaying the ambitious highway project.
The Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change has recommended the diversion of 2.1812 hectares of protected forest land for the proposed four/six-lane elevated corridor on NH-18 (formerly NH-33). The final proposal has been forwarded by Deputy Secretary Chandrashekhar Prasad to the Regional Office of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in Ranchi for further approval.
The 10.02-km elevated corridor, extending from Pardih Kali Mandir to Baliguma via Dimna Chowk, is being developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at an estimated cost of ₹936 crore.
The project has been awarded to HG Infra Engineering Limited. Once completed, heavy commercial vehicles travelling towards Odisha and Kolkata will use the elevated stretch instead of passing through congested city roads.
Officials believe the corridor will significantly ease traffic congestion in Pardih, Mango and Dimna, reducing travel time on the stretch to around 8 to 10 minutes while improving road safety and traffic flow.
The state government has attached several conditions to the forest land diversion.
The legal status of the diverted land will continue to remain forest land. The executing agency will have to deposit the Net Present Value (NPV) and compensatory afforestation charges as mandated by the Supreme Court.
The agency must also comply with the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and all conditions laid down by the Chief Wildlife Warden to safeguard the surrounding ecosystem.
Construction of the elevated corridor had witnessed repeated delays due to several technical and environmental challenges.
The project was held up because of pending forest clearance, utility shifting, and permission for tree felling. Construction activities also faced protests from local residents over dust pollution and inconvenience caused by ongoing work.
In addition, obtaining wildlife clearance took considerable time as parts of the project fall close to the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary and an important elephant corridor.
With the state’s recommendation for forest land diversion now in place, officials expect the remaining approval process to move faster, allowing construction activities to accelerate.
Once operational, the elevated corridor is expected to become one of Jamshedpur’s most significant infrastructure projects, providing seamless connectivity to Odisha and Kolkata while offering permanent relief from chronic traffic congestion for thousands of daily commuters.
