Roads in the Red Zone

After making substantial progress in the first phase of constructing roads in 34 naxal-affected districts in the past two years, the Centre is now planning to build another 5,600 km in these areas. These two-lane roads — estimated to cost the government Rs 9,500 crore in the second phase — would cover more interior stretches in eight states, including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha.
These stretches have been identified after the Union home ministry held a series of discussions with state governments and respective director generals of police (DGPs). Sources said that constructing these roads is possible only after taking police and security agencies on board since many of these stretches fall in the worst insurgency-hit areas.
The proposal to finalize the estimates of these roads is part of the work plan that highways ministry has envisaged during the 12th Five Year Plan. Highways minister C P Joshi also said in the next five years government targets to expand all national highways to at least two-lane standard.
Government had first initiated the Road Requirement Plan (RRP) for improving 5,477 km road connectivity in eight states – Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh – in 2009. So far, it has awarded 4,511 km, and construction has been completed in 1,872 km.
In some areas, which have been identified as the most difficult regions under the third phase, the progress has been rather poor.