Bhubaneswar, Aug 28 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday launched the 656-km long expressway project that will provide better connectivity between Rourkela in the state and Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh.

The project is named after his late father Biju Patnaik and would be implemented at a total cost of Rs.3,200 crore in two phases, an official of the Chief Minister Office, told IANS.

During the first phase, 254 km of the road would be widened into four lane and 402 km road would be made two-lane. The first phase project would be completed by May 2017 and the total investment has been estimated at Rs.1,471 crore, he said.

In the second phase, 258 km of road would be widened into four lane. The estimated cost of the second phase project will be Rs.1,729 crore and it would be completed by May 2019, he said.

The economic corridor from Jagdalpur to Rourkela named the Biju Expressway will pass through several impoverished and backward districts of Odisha including Koraput, Kalahandi, Nabarangapur, Nuapada, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Sundergarh, the official said.

"This massive connectivity network will help boost agriculture, trade and commerce and social sector development," Naveen Patnaik said here at the project launch.

"It will also support our initiatives in mainstreaming socially and economically backward people," he added.