: The Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have sought improvement of 18 critical roads in left wing extremist-affected pockets in Odisha.
Of the 12 road projects, the BSF wants the Odisha government to take up seven roads in Koraput district alone. Similarly, Malkanagiri and Nabarangpur districts have three and two such road projects, respectively.
The CRPF has suggested development of six road projects in Nuapada, Kalahandi, Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts.
Most of these roads would help facilitate operational flexibility to security forces in carrying out combing and anti-naxal operations.
Road development in naxal-affected districts especially Malkanagiri, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada and Nabarangpur involves security-related issues.
Development of several roads passing through naxal-affected pockets of Nuapada and Bargarh districts would be taken care of under Biju Expressway programme.
One of the most important road projects is the Chitrakonda-Janbai-Papermetla road stretch. The road is important as it would serve as a link to Gurupriya bridge.
The CPI (Maoist) has been opposed to the bridge as a large number of hideouts would be exposed if the bridge is constructed. It is opposed to improvement of road communication in areas where it is active.
A large of number of roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna could not be taken up due to threat of Maoists in several southern districts in the the past couple of years.
