The under-construction Gurupriya bridge in Malkangir would be completed before September 2017, said Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister UN Behera here on Friday.
Behera said this to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while briefing about his official tour to Malkangiri recently.
Notably, the bridge bears importance as it would connect the mainland with the Maoist-infested Chitrakonda cutoff area.
Stating that the bridge is a longstanding demand of Malkangiri people, Behera said though the State Government had earlier entrusted the construction work of the bridge to a private construction company, the latter left the work midway due to threat from Maoists.
“Now, Works Department has undertaken the construction work with adequate security provided by the BSF. The work is underway in full swing. On its completion, there would be direct road communication to 151 cutoff villages as a result of which concerned villagers will have more livelihood options,” he pointed out.
Behera, who was on a two-day tour to the district on January 19 and 20 to review status of various developmental works, said construction works of new roads and development of existing ones under the Rural Development and Works Departments have started.
Out of 249 new roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), construction work of 75 roads has been completed. While construction of 163 roads is underway, works of the remaining 11 roads will start soon. Besides, efforts are on to connect 434 tribal areas having population of at least 100 each in the second phase of the PMGSY.
Referring to education sector, Behera said construction of Adarsh Vidyalayas in four of the seven blocks in the district would be completed by March 31 this year and classes would start from the 2016-17 academic session.
Behera said four mega lift irrigation project works have been taken up in the district, which would, on their completion, provide irrigation to 4200 hectares of land. Besides, sites for seven new lift irrigation projects have been identified in the district, he said.