Infrastructure / Jeypore Activist Urges NHRC to Push for Four-Lane Highways in South Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Oct 29: Jeypore-based advocate and human rights activist Anup Kumar Patro has urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to intervene in what he described as a serious threat to public safety arising from inadequate road infrastructure in south Odisha.

In his response submitted on October 28 to the Koraput district collector's report on highway development, Patro termed the report "fundamentally deficient, mechanical and non-responsive" to concerns raised in his original complaint.

The NHRC had sought his response after receiving the collector's report on ongoing and proposed highway projects in Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts. The complaint alleged a systemic violation of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution due to inadequate highway infrastructure and administrative inaction.

Demand for Upgrades

Patro argued that the undivided Koraput region, now comprising four districts with a substantial tribal population, continues to depend on narrow and inadequate road networks despite difficult terrain and limited transport alternatives.

According to him, poor connectivity poses risks to public safety and hampers timely access to emergency healthcare services, including treatment at Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital in Koraput and specialised medical facilities in Visakhapatnam.

He sought a comprehensive highway modernisation package covering National Highways 26, 326 and 201.

The activist called for four-laning of NH-26 from Deoghati through Sunki Ghat to the Andhra Pradesh border, including tunnel bypasses and improved gradients. He also pressed for the upgrading of the Motu-Malkangiri-Jeypore-Koraput-Rayagada corridor and the Borigumma-Nabarangpur-Bhawanipatna route.

Concern Over Delays

Patro also highlighted delays in bypass projects across the region.

He stated that land acquisition for the Jeypore and Borigumma bypasses had reached around 90%, while the Koraput town bypass remained at an early procedural stage. He urged the NHRC to seek time-bound affidavits from authorities specifying commissioning deadlines and accountability mechanisms for these and other proposed bypasses, including those at Nabarangpur, Malkangiri and Boipariguda.
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Bridge Safety Issues

Raising concerns about infrastructure safety, the activist sought immediate structural audits of bridges over the Indravati and Kolab rivers, along with canal bridges at Gandhi Chowk, Telliguda and Jayantgiri.

He alleged that some bridges showed visible cracking and exposed reinforcement bars, warranting urgent inspection.

Patro further requested the NHRC to obtain reports directly from the collectors of Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts and constitute an independent monitoring committee to track progress and submit quarterly reports until the projects are completed.