MALKANGIRI: All is not well in Swabhiman Anchal as people of six of the eight panchayats in Chitrakonda remain cut off from the mainland even one year after the opening of Gurupriya bridge.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had inaugurated the bridge over Janbai river in July last year and the cut-off area was named Swabhiman Anchal.
Gurupriya bridge, which is said to be the lifeline of the cut off region, has connected only two panchayats - Badpada and Papermetla. The rest six panchayats in the cut off area are yet to get connected with the mainland.
Deprived of road connectivity, people of Jodamba, Jantri, Panasput, Gajalmamudi, Doliput and Ralegada panchayats are using country boats by risking their lives to cross Chitrakonda reservoir to reach the block headquarters for their daily requirements.
Executive Engineer of Roads and Building Division Arun Kumar Sahu said two more panchayats, Jodamba and Panasput, about 42 km from Jantapai village, would be inter-connected in the first phase. A detail project report (DPR) is being prepared and it is likely to be approved in a month. The road projects are being funded by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, Sahu added.
This apart, with the construction of four km road, Papermetla would also be connected with Kuniguda. Panasput will also get connectivity with Tablaguda with the laying of four km road in the first phase. Once the DPR gets approval, tender would be floated with a deadline of one year for the completion of the work, he added.
In the second phase, Jantri would get connectivity with Gajalmamudi panchayat. Rural Development Division-I has undertaken the task of providing inter-connectivity between the villages, he said. Meanwhile, the Division-I has already floated tender for 10 of the 32 roads to be constructed in six panchayats covering 209 km with the construction of about 25 bridges. A total of 84 villages would be provided road connectivity.