41 new roads under PMGSYin rebel hub Rayagada soon

Koraput: The Rayagada district administration has decided to construct 41 new roads measuring about 299 kilometres under the Pradhan Mantri Gramya Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the current financial year to improve connectivity to Maoist-hit Chandrapur block.
Officials said the survey and estimation of the roads is complete and the detailed project report has been sent to the government for approval.They added that once funds start coming in, work would start in full swing.
"To ensure that the government's welfare schemes reach the tribals living in the interior areas, it was unanimously decided to develop road network on a priority basis. There are plans to build roads in areas which do not have a motorable terrain. Without proper roads, we can't think of development in the remote pockets," said collector (Rayagada) Jagannath Mohanty.
The officials of the district's rural works division said the 299 km of road will be built for Rs 176 crore to provide better transport facilities to the tribals. "At least 25 Maoist-affected villages of the block with a population of 250 and above will be benefitted by the projects. Efforts will be made to ensure that the projects meet their deadline," said executive engineer of the rural works division (RWD) of Rayagada Simadri Nayak.
Locals are hopeful that better connectivity will bring development to their doorsteps and strengthen their financial condition. Bad roads kept many officials, including health staff, from visiting the remote areas of the block so far. "We are happy to learn about the construction of new roads in our village. These will undoubtedly provide us with better transportation facilities. We don't have a road to either go to the block or the district headquarters. The construction of a new road will lessen the time we now take to reach Chandrapur," said a Korlagudi resident.
The RWD of Rayagada has undertaken the work of a 17-km road from Dangasorada to Korlagudi for an estimated cost of Rs 9.92 crore. The collector said, "Our survey works for the road projects was completed smoothly. We did not face any resistance from the Maoists."
Corroborating this, police said the Maoists are at the receiving end in Chandrapur, once considered their bastion and added that they would not be allowed to regroup in Chandrapur.