Rayagada: District Collector Shri Ashutosh Kulkarni is implementing a hands-on strategy to ensure that remote villages, long cut off from the administrative mainstream, are finally connected to the road network.
A central part of his approach involves “ground zero” inspections where he personally treks through difficult terrain to reach inaccessible habitations.
For instance, on 16 March 2026, the Collector walked nearly seven kilometers through rugged hills and forests to reach the villages of Karlagudi, Rengapadar, and Kepti in the Madhuban Panchayat of Gudari Block.
These visits allow the administration to bypass secondary reports and directly assess the geographic hurdles that have historically stalled infrastructure projects, ensuring that road planning is based on actual field realities rather than just office maps.
Following these field assessments, District Collector Shri Kulkarni has issued a clear mandate to the BDOs to prioritize these unconnected pockets under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
He has instructed that feasibility studies and detailed project reports be fast-tracked for clusters that were previously overlooked due to their low population density or extreme topography.
By treating these remote hilltop villages as a priority, the administration aims to bridge the gap in basic amenities, recognizing that road connectivity is the essential precursor for delivering other critical services like electricity, healthcare, and drinking water.
To ensure accountability and timely execution, the District Administration is maintaining a strict oversight policy for all engineers and contractors involved in rural road works.
District Collector Shri Kulkarni has emphasized that administrative delays in submitting project proposals or clearing forest-related bottlenecks will not be tolerated.
Additionally, there is a focus on integrating road construction with broader welfare schemes, such as ensuring that once a village is slated for a new road, the process for issuing Aadhaar cards, ration cards, and housing work orders under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is also expedited through local camps.
This holistic approach ensures that the physical road leads to a more comprehensive integration of these tribal communities into the state’s development framework.