Southern towns still chase a short connect

BERHAMPUR: Thirty four years after the State Government approved the shortest road communication between Berhampur and Paralakhemundi, the same is yet to see the light of the day.Paralakhemundi is the headquarters of Gajapati district, which was carved out undivided Ganjam in 1992. After the creation of Gajapati district, all the required offices were established at Paralakhemundi, which was the second major town in the erstwhile Ganjam district with a rich heritage.

Historically, one had to take a circuitous route from Berhampur to Paralakhemundi before the State Government conceived of a shorter route in 1983-84. The proposed road from Berhampur to Paralakhemundi via Lathi, Tamana, Chikiti, Kelua, Jarada and Tumba of Ganjam and Burkhat as well as Koinpur of Gajapati would have become the shortest route with a distance of around 115 kms.
However, with the Government failing to complete the construction work, the new 115-km road, which would linked these two southern towns, is in a state of limbo.

Presently, one has to take the road via Taptapani-Chandragiri-R Udayagiri which is around 176 kms to reach Paralakhemundi. Though there is an alternate route, people taking it have to cross Ichhapuram and Palasa of Andhra Pradesh by covering a distance of 120 km.Sources said people heading towards Paralakhemundi via Berhampur now prefer to take the route via Ichhapuram and Palasa crossing Andhra Pradesh due to the well-maintained road. They seldom take the route via Taptapani-Chandragiri-R Udayagiri due to various reasons including poor road condition.

Incidentally, there is already a pucca road of around 63 kms from Berhampur to Burukhat pass. Moreover, the road from Paralakhemundi to Burukhat at Mahendragiri hill has also been completed. However, a stretch along Burukhat pass between Ganjam and Gajapati is yet to be blacktopped. As a result, heavy vehicles including buses are not able to use the road.