The high impact Biju Expressway – a visionary infrastructure promises quantum economic progress. The 650-kilometer-long expressway is set to spin a major transformation in the agriculture sector, especially for the Western Odisha and will set the tone for significant industrial growth via the new economic corridor. For the farmers the markets get bigger and tourism more attractive. The announcement of the second phase of the project, connecting Berhampur and Jeypore with targeted completion by 2026, further signifies the government’s commitment to enhancing infrastructure and promoting development in the region.

Highways connect lives, create positive impact on socio-economic status of a region, and new economic gains. On a higher note, they connect people’s hearts which cannot be measured in the scale of return on investment (ROI). Catalysing his development roadmap and to inject fresh momentum to connectivity in western and southern Odisha, the farsighted Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has embarked on another new ambitious projects “Biju Expressway” transforming right from mobility of people to economy of the State – thereby the sketching a new journey of development for Odisha and the region.

Quality road infrastructure is a prerequisite for development of a region. While road infrastructure plays a key role in fostering and guiding economic development, expressways significantly contribute to the economy of a region by enhancing overall transportation efficiency. The economic dividend the expressways make was well realised by the state more than a decade ago.

In Odisha, which has witnessed a renaissance in development over the last two decades, the ‘Biju Expressway’ has proved to be a game-changing project in terms of road infrastructure for western part of the state. This large-scale infrastructure initiative linked important cities and communities in order to fully realize the potential of the region.

Biju Expressway phase 1, built at cost of about ₹4,000 crore, has had a profound impact on the socio-economic landscape of Western Odisha, promoting development, industrialization, and improved connectivity in the region. This dream project of the CM Naveen Patnaik strategically connects North and South Odisha through western part of the State. It revolutionised transportation and promoted economic growth, acting as a lifeline for the region. Odisha under the leadership of Shri Naveen Patnaik always believed that good transport infrastructure will add speed to the economy and become harbinger of growth. The state is proposing to develop 14 ports along the coast, out of which two are already functional and two are under development. The state is planning to have 10 airports to connect each and every corner of the state. State government has also come forward to fund rail projects and created special purpose vehicles (SPVs) with a vision to connect every district with rail network. The Biju Expressway once fully complete, will effectively complement Odisha’s plans to develop good transport infrastructure to transform the state into a gateway to the east.  

The Biju Expressway aims to fill the infrastructure gap and stimulate industrial growth in previously underserved areas, fostering regional development and reducing disparities. It passes through a variety of topographies while connecting industrial cities like Rourkela with Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, and Sundargarh. The project connected districts which were often bandied about by media as backward districts like Koraput, Nawrangpur, Kalahandi and Nuapada, and four districts of Western Odisha like Bargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, and Sundergarh.

The expressway’s strategic location connects it to important airports, and industrial hubs in neighboring states, enhancing connectivity and attracting investors. The improved connectivity has also hastened commuters’ travel times while promoting trade.

The improved infrastructure has played a vital role in transforming Western Odisha into a major agricultural hub, significantly contributing to the nation’s food grain production. The region which was often featured in the media during the dawn of the new century for all the wrong reasons, now turned into the rice bowl of the country. Odisha now produces more than 13 million tonnes of food grain. Thanks to the increase in production, Odisha is now the third contributor to the nation’s grain pool. A quality road infrastructure connecting the hinterlands is the need of the hour. The Biju Expressway worked wonders to unlock the potential of the region. The four-lane superhighway connected several inner pockets of the Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, and Nabarangpur districts. It was designed to connect many border towns of South and Western Odisha like Chandli, Boriguma, Nabarangpur, Papadahandi, Ambapani, Dharmagarh, Sinapali, Bhella, Nuapada, Paikmal, Padmapur, Sohella, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundergarh, and Rourkela as well. 

The completion of the project had a huge socio economic impact on the region. The expressway helped bridge the development deficiency in this part of the state and gave a boost to the economy, agriculture, trade and commerce and tourism. The expressway helped agricultural produce reach the market in a seamless way and mineral resources reach their destinations faster.

Giving further impetus to the road infrastructure, the second phase of the project estimated at Rs 7,000 crore, has been announced under 5T charter with targeted completion by 2026. The announcement of the second phase of the project, connecting Berhampur and Jeypore, further signifies the government’s commitment to enhancing infrastructure and promoting development in the region.

The greenfield project will span 305 km and connect 4 districts and 15 blocks. It will cut down travel time from existing 8 hours to 5 hours – from Berhampur to Jeypore. The new project will give further impetus to development creating new possibilities of job creation- especially when several industrial projects are lined up including some big ticket projects in Ganjam district. Besides, the New Biju Expressway will promote tourism, by enhancing commuters’ connectedness and convenience.

For the first time in the state, the project will excavate hills and construct a tunnel, which will shorten the road length by 25 to 30 km and further reduce the travel time. The project is expected to be completed within three years and will create a new economic corridor of prosperity in South Odisha.

The expressway has attracted industries due to reduced transportation costs and time, leading to increased industrial activity and job opportunities. This expressway will have a significant and far-reaching impact on the industrial landscape of Western Odisha. First off, the Biju Expressway is helping enterprises deliver their goods quickly and effectively by drastically reducing transportation costs and time. Because of the region’s better accessibility, many industries have decided to establish operations there, which has increased industrial activity and job possibilities.

The construction of the expressway has also opened up the economic potential of this part of the state which was waiting to be unlocked with good transport infrastructure. It was a visionary decision at the right time which spurred the state’s economy and created conducive atmosphere for growth of the industrial and residential sectors in the area.

One of the key objectives of the Biju Expressway is to promote industrialisation in western Odisha which is blessed with abundance of natural resources such as iron ore, coal, bauxite, and manganese. Major industries like steel mills, aluminium smelters, and cement plants that have come up in this region required such quality infrastructure which was waiting to be met by highways.

Access to important industrial regions like Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, and Rourkela has been improved thanks to the expressway. Investments in industries including manufacturing, power generation, mining, and steel production have been benefited by this. The expressway has facilitated seamless movement of raw materials needed by diverse sectors.

The cutting-edge four-lane expressway has more than made up for the infrastructure gap that was a major roadblock for development. With Biju Expressway, the area would be connected to important ports, airports, and industrial hubs in surrounding states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh. There is a sustained focus on quality transportation infrastructure by the Odisha government including development of airports and ports. The road infrastructure will very well complement the fast improving regional air connectivity, providing a web of quality roads in each part of the state. The quality infrastructure will attract investors not just to already industrialised pockets but to the hinterlands.

Already, the State government has taken steps to develop the areas surrounding the Expressway as Economic Corridors. As part of this, Industrial Estates will be set up along the Economic Corridors. Many industries have shown their interest to set up their facilities along the Biju Expressway.

The Biju expressway will make it possible for farmers to deliver their goods to markets promptly and effectively throughout Odisha and other states. Additionally, improved accessibility will lead to increased tourism in Western Odisha, attracting visitors to explore its cultural heritage sites and natural beauty.

Besides, the second phase of the project will open a whole new world of opportunities for the development of Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Kandhamal, and Koraput. On the top-notch roads, people will enjoy a seamless travel experience, and the industrial growth in the surrounding areas will also be stimulated. The Biju Expressway will also fill the gap left by the state’s poor railway network. The quality roads in all parts of the state are set to remove regional disgruntlement and make them corridors of prosperity.

The author is IT Secretary, Government of Odisha.

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.

Matthew Perry, the actor best known for playing the role of Chandler Bing in the sitcom ‘Friends’ died at the age of 54 in Los Angeles on October 28. He was found unconscious in a hot tub and the first responders were unable to revive him. Fans and supporters have been pouring in love and tributes for their favourite characters. Mr Perry’s ex-fiance Molly Hurwitz, a literary manager, broke her silence on the actor’s tragic death and said that she feels relieved knowing that he is at peace. 

The couple got engaged in November 2020 and were dating since 2018. They parted ways in June 2021. In a statement about their break up, Mr Perry said, Sometimes things just don’t work out and this is one of them.”

Now, in an Instagram post honouring the actor, Ms Hurwitz said, “He would love that the world is talking about how talented he was. And he really was very talented.” She added, “As the Friends reunion was approaching, we rewatched the show together. “F***, I was so good!!!…See what I did there???” We rewound and studied scenes. Our respect and appreciation of humor is something that connected us. Being with him as he rediscovered his brilliance was magical.”

She added that her love for him was deeper than anything else and he had a very strong impact on her life. However, he was a “complicated” man. “But, I obviously knew that man in a very different way, too. While I loved him deeper than I could comprehend, he was complicated, and he caused pain like I’d never known. No one in my adult life has had a more profound impact on me than Matthew Langford Perry. I have tremendous gratitude for that, for everything I learned from our relationship,” Ms Hurwitz wrote. 

“Matty, I feel relief that you are at peace. Sincerely, Moll-o-Rama(…fication),” she concluded.

Meanwhile, the cast of the sitcom ‘Friends’ also released a joint statement and said that they are “utterly devastated” by the loss of one of their own, as per a report in People Magazine.

“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” they said in the statement. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”

It continued, “In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.” The statement has been signed by Jennifer Aniston who played the character of Rachel Green, Courtney Cox who played Monica Geller, Lisa Kudrow who played Phoebe, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer, who played the characters of Joey and Ross respectively in the show. 

Israel is running a hard-hitting online campaign targeting mostly Europeans with shocking images and testimonies from the attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7. Dozens of clips of burnt bodies, bereaved families, fast-cuts of screams and sirens, rescue workers and pathologists are featured on the Israeli foreign ministry’s official social media channels and in paid advertising campaigns.

The idea is to keep fresh in the minds of the foreign public how Hamas fighters crossed from Gaza into Israel and, according to Israeli officials, killed some 1,400 people, mostly civilians, while also seizing more than 230 hostages.

The online campaign also aims to justify Israel’s relentless bombing of Gaza since then, which has killed more than 8,300 people, including over 3,000 children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

As we continue to expand our ground operations in northern Gaza:

?IAF aircraft, guided by IDF troops, struck Hamas structures.
?Anti-tank missile launch posts & observation posts were struck.
?Multiple terrorists were eliminated. pic.twitter.com/XMwKPKGZ1R

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 29, 2023

Some of the videos are graphic: in one clip, a pathologist describes photos of a child’s burnt body.

Others are unashamedly emotive. Cartoon unicorns frolic among rainbows before giant capital letters pop up on the screen: “Just as you would do everything for your child, we will do everything to protect ours.”

“This is how we communicate in 2023,” Emmanuel Nahshon of the Israeli foreign ministry told AFP.

But experts say the campaign risks alienating some audiences.

There has already been some pushback, with Google limiting access to one graphic clip and a gaming firm demanding the ads be removed.

Nahshon said he wanted the message to get out to the world that Hamas’s atrocities are comparable to those of the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, who were notorious for publicising their massacres and hostage-taking.

“Hamas=ISIS“

The Israeli videos come with made-for-sharing slogans such as “BringThemHome”, “Stand with Israel, Stand with Humanity” or “Hamas=ISIS” even though many scholars reject the comparison between Hamas and Islamic State group jihadists.

Hamas-ISIS is sick.

They turn hospitals into headquarters for their terror.

We just released intelligence proving it.

Here it is: pic.twitter.com/F82OxaIPN6

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 27, 2023

Nahshon said the videos had racked up more than one billion views, a claim backed by data from US digital marketing company Semrush, which showed the campaign at that stage had clocked up 1.1 billion views in some 30 countries.

Nahshon said the government had invested “a few hundred thousand dollars” — though Semrush figures suggested the cost was $8.5 million.

The principal target of the ad campaign is France, home to the largest Jewish and Arab-Muslim communities in Europe, where $4.6 million has been spent.

Germany came next at $2.4 million followed by the United Kingdom, with $1.2 million spent, according to Semrush.

Stephanie Lamy, a specialist in wartime communication strategies, argued that Israel’s campaign was pursuing the single goal of legitimising its bombing in Gaza.

“The aim is to justify violence and even to try to secure impunity in the event of a contravention of international law,” she said.

Hamas also waging online campaign

Hamas is also waging an online information campaign to strengthen its own case, highlighting Israel’s aggression and its toll on innocent Palestinians in Gaza.

But Hamas is designated a terrorist group by the United States and European Union, meaning it is banned from the main social media platforms.

The group had been using official channels on the Telegram app to push its message, including graphic videos of Israel’s bombing of Gaza and clips of the October 7 attacks shot by some of its fighters.

These channels have been disabled in recent days on Google’s Android platform. 

Israel’s campaign, too, has suffered setbacks.

Google told AFP last week that the clip featuring the burnt body of a child had been made inaccessible to young people and that they had added an explicit content warning.

FACT: “The IDF is focused right now on one thing—victory and dismantling Hamas.”

This is how the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi, fortifies the soldiers of the IDF Artillery Corps. pic.twitter.com/qGokguNue3

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 29, 2023

The maker of the “Angry Birds” game, Finnish firm Rovio, said it had asked its advertising partners to block an Israeli ad after complaints from users on social media.

That still leaves Israel way ahead in the information war in terms of viewing figures.

But experts say any achievements could come at a price.

“Subjecting people to images that are literally unbearable is a risky strategy” for Israel, said communications expert Arnaud Mercier.

“It could be counterproductive with an audience who didn’t ask to be exposed to it.”