Bhubaneswar, April 13 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday urged the central government to construct a coastal highway connecting its Ganjam district to Digha in West Bengal for efficient rescue and relief operation during cyclones.

After a discussion with union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi, he said: "We discussed construction of a coastal highway in Odisha from Gopalpur to Digha for ensuring efficient rescue and relief operations during cyclones."

He said these areas were thickly populated and a coastal highway will provide alternative economic opportunities to the local population.

The proposed highway would connect several existing and upcoming ports including Gopalpur, Astarang, Paradeep, Kirtania and Chandipur.

Patnaik also demanded that highways connecting Jajpur and Jagatsinghpur districts should be declared as national highways.

He told Gadkari three new by-passes including one near Bhawanipatna on NH-26, near Kotpad on NH-63 and near Manamunda on NH-57 were essentially required to address the traffic problem.