A review meeting, chaired by Law, Works, and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, discussed the proposed Berhampur-Jeypore High-Speed Corridor and Green Field Project on 7 November 2024. This project aims to reduce travel time from Berhampur to Jeypore from seven hours to just three hours, with vehicles reaching speeds of up to 120 kmph.
The proposed corridor will have tunnels at four places to prevent accidents on hilly-terrain roads. Minister Harichandan emphasized the importance of improving connectivity between major cities, mining areas, and industrial zones along this high-speed corridor, while also ensuring that the project does not harm biodiversity areas.
To achieve this, officials have been advised to prepare a plan that prioritizes environmental conservation. The Minister also stressed the need for efficient land acquisition and forest land settlement to make the proposed corridor more acceptable to the public.
Key officials present at the meeting included Principal Secretary V. V. Yadav, Special Secretary Deepak Das, Chief Engineer (Civil) Purnachandra Mahapatra, OBCC Joint Adviser Jay Krushna Das, and SPARC Managing Director Shubdarshi Mishra.