Bhubaneswar, Nov. 14 -- The Orissa High Court has directed the Odisha Tourism Department to accelerate the long-pending development of the Chaumukh-Dagara sea beach in Balasore district and ensure that the project is completed at the earliest.

The directive was issued on Tuesday by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice M.S. Raman while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought judicial intervention to revive the stalled tourism project.

According to The New Indian Express, the PIL was filed by Baliapal residents Anoj Kumar Mohapatra and Rajesh Choudhury, who drew the court's attention to the prolonged delay in developing the picturesque beach despite its immense tourism potential.

The pet...