Bhubaneswar, Nov. 27 -- In a renewed push to kickstart the long-pending coastal highway project in Odisha, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched a fresh round of bidding for the initial phase of the corridor. The project, covering roughly 160 km between Rameshwar in Khiordha and Paradip, is estimated to cost Rs 4961.6 crore and will be implemented under the hybrid annuity model.

According to The New Indian Express report, this marks the third tendering attempt, as bids invited earlier during the past two years had to be scrapped due to administrative and planning challenges.

The highway, originally announced nearly a decade ago, is designed to connect Rameshwar in Khordha district with Digha in West Bengal, spanni...