Patnaik seeks more roads in LWE areas

Lack of road connectivity was the major infrastractural deficiency in the left wing extremism (LWE)-hit districts of Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said today and urged the Centre to sanction 24 new projects under Road Requirement Plan (RRP), Phase-II.
"I request your personal intervention for early sanction of the 24 road projects in the worst Maoist affected Koraput and Malkangiri districts under RRP-II," Patnaik wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Stating that improvement of connectivity will greatly help in reaching out to the remote areas and making various services available to the people living there, Patnaik said the state govenrment has submitted its final proposals for the 24 new road projects on August 19, 2015.

"These roads in Koraput and Malkangiri districts are badly required for having proper access to the LWE affected areas," Patnaik said adding that since the road projects under RRP-I are on verge of completion there is need to take up projects under RRP-II.
Patnaik said at least 14 road projects were take up under RRP-I of which six have been completed and five are nearing completion.
Patnaik also informed the union Home Minister that the work on the bridge at Janbai in Malkangiri district that will connect 151 cut-off villages of Balimela reservoir is on full swing and will be completed within a year.

The work on the Chitrakonda-Janbai-Papermetta road is under progress and will be completed soon, he said in the letter adding that the proposal of termination of the contract for 45 km Govindpalli-Salim-Mahupadar Road including bridge on Chakabuka Nulla has been submitted to the ministry of road transport and highways.
On approval of the ministry, fresh tender will be invited, he added.