Governor reviews progress of Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway in Koraput

Koraput: Governor Haribabu Kambhampati, during his visit to Koraput district, reviewed the progress of the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway, a flagship project under the Bharatmala scheme, on Tuesday evening and said the high-speed corridor would directly benefit people by cutting travel time, improving market access, and creating new opportunities for farmers and traders.The six-lane expressway, officially known as NH-130 CD, is being executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) as part of the economic corridor project. It is expected to significantly boost freight transport efficiency and enhance exports.Inspecting tunnel OD-7 near Patangi, the governor took stock of the ongoing construction works. NHAI officials briefed him on the current status as well as the projects completion timelines.This expressway will not only shorten distance and time but also open new avenues of development for Odisha’s tribal districts by linking them more closely with national and international markets, the Governor said after the review.The expressway, starting from Raipur in Chhattisgarh and passing through Nabarangpur and Koraput districts before reaching Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, will reduce the distance from 590 km to 464 km. Travel time between the two terminal points will be cut from 14 hours to just 6 hours. Once operational, the journey from Koraput to Visakhapatnam will take only two hours.