Bhubaneswar: During a review meeting on the Berhampur-Jeypore highspeed corridor, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan emphasised to connect the major towns, mining and industrial areas with the corridor.

The proposed 217-km-long highspeed corridor will pass through Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada and Koraput districts. 

Official sources said vehicles will travel at a maximum speed of 120 km per hour on this corridor. Four tunnels have been proposed for construction on this route. The travel time between Berhampur to Jeypore will reduce to three hours from the present duration of seven hours, the official sources added. 

The Law Minister asked the officials to ensure the corridor work should not affect any sanctuary and biodiversity of those areas. Safeguarding the interests of people, the officials should carry out land acquisition and settle forest land with consent of the locals, Harichandan said during the meeting.

Principal Secretary of Works Department VV Yadav, Special Secretary Deepak Das and other senior officials were in attendance at the meeting.