Jagatsinghpur: If all plans go well, the village road from Maa Sarala temple to Lankapada via Sankheswar in this district will be developed into a Rural Economic Corridor.
District Collector Sangram Keshari Mohapatra has sent a proposal in this regard to the chief engineer of the Rural Development department.
The Collector wrote that once the road is constructed, villagers of Kanakpur Deuli, Kanakpur Sasan, Tentulipada, Nausira, Tirtol, Dhanua, Olagada,Poshal, Badajingal, Gopalpur (S), Bijipur, Hayatpur, Mirzyapur, Saralpur, Lankapada and nearby villages would be benefitted.
Since it will connect NH-5 (A), it will go a long way in improving communication facilities in the region.
People from the riparian areas of Mahanadi and Paika rivers who take their vegetables and other produces to markets will have to spend comparatively less time while commuting.
This way, they can save their hard earned money and improve their financial condition, Mohapatra added. Once the stretch is developed, it will also attract entrepreneurs to set up agro-based industries, creating opportunities for employment.
There is a rice mill on the bank of Mahanadi in Tirtol block. So, farmers will have no difficulty in transporting their paddy grains to the mill.
The project will not only increase the production of rice, but also help in transporting the rice from this area to different districts and states.
Highlighting the advantages of the proposed economic corridor, Collector Mohapatra said that vegetable growers and dairy farmers will be immensely benefited after the construction of the road. This will also help in connecting the locality to hospitals and railway stations.
People will get better education and health facilities.
“The shrine of Maa Sarala is a famous tourist spot in the district. After completion of the project, the number of devotees and tourists to the place will increase and so will the financial condition of the local people,” he said in the letter.
For the construction of the 25,400-kilometrelong road, an estimated budget of Rs 2,540 lakh has been prepared.
This apart, the Collector has also approved a disaster preventive road starting from Goithipur to Balijori via Rahana, Anantapur, Kusupur, Athagharia and Gamara.
For this 1.5 kilometre-long-road, a budget of Rs 1,850 lakh has been prepared. The projects have been sent to the state government for approval.
PNN