The state government has commenced soil testing for the proposed Jayadev Vihar-Nandankanan elevated corridor, marking the initial phase of work on the nine point five km route intended to reduce congestion and improve connectivity between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Anupam Saha, managing director of Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation Limited, said soil investigation has been taken up as part of the initial work and that demarcation of land, shifting of utility service lanes and other preparatory steps will be initiated soon. Works department officials added that they will approach the National Highways Authority of India to seek permission for construction of a portion of the elevated corridor that will cross the national highway overbridge near Jayadev Vihar Square. The initial testing locations include areas near Kalinga Stadium, Jayadev Vihar, Kalinga Hospital Square, Damana and KIIT Square, with further patches along the corridor to be examined to determine strength and load bearing capacity before construction commences. The corridor will stretch from Kalinga Stadium gate number four to Raghunathpur bridge and will be widened from six lanes to an eight lane carriageway with service roads and modern traffic infrastructure. The state cabinet cleared the project on July one this year. The project has been awarded on a turnkey basis to Dineshchandra R Agrawal Infracon Pvt Ltd, the lowest bidder, and is targeted for completion within 24 months. The contract value stands at Rs five point seven nine billion (bn), and subsequent references will use bn. Key features include construction of four flyovers at Jayadev Vihar as a cable stayed bridge, Kalinga Hospital Square, Damana Square and KIIT Square, together with improvements at Kalarahanga junction. Additional components comprise service roads, slip roads, pedestrian subways, underground parking, drainage systems, bridges, roundabouts, road safety measures, lighting, landscaping and avenue plantation to support the arterial route. Officials said the corridor will serve as a major route connecting Bhubaneswar with Cuttack through Baranga and will ease traffic congestion, significantly reducing travel time on the stretch. Implementation will proceed following completion of geotechnical studies and requisite approvals.