The Cabinet Committee On Infrastructure (CCI) on Thursday approved a proposal to take up the improvement of 600 km of state roads in Orissa, with a view to develop the entire 1,632 km long left-wing extremism affected Vijayawada-Ranchi corridor in a phased manner.
This will entail an estimated expenditure of Rs. 1,200 crore. The aim of this project is to expose the potential of the people of tribal districts of Orissa (Malkangiri, Jaypore, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhmai, Boudh, Sarnbalpur, Angul, Deogarh, Koenjhar and Mayurbhanj) by providing a communication network with other developed areas in the state as well as to the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
Besides improving the social and economic status of the tribal people, the route is intended to provide an efficient communication network in remote areas, to combat extremists' activities in the border districts of the state.