New Delhi: After being cutoff for nearly 12 days, road connectivity to Narayanpatna block in Koraput district of Orissa has been restored after a joint operation of State and Central Forces.
"Normal traffic has now been restored between Laxmipur and Narayanpatna and essential supplies have started moving in," a Home Ministry spokesman said on Sunday.
The area was cut-off by a tribal group Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha (CMAS) which in support from the Maoists had created blockades on the road to Narayanpatna from June 15, making it difficult for the security forces to reach there.
Home Minister P Chidambaram during his visit to the state had stressed the need to quickly clear the blocked road in order to re-establish control, the official said.
A day after his visit, a team of Commandos of the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the state police and a Company of the CRPF moved with mechanical tree-cutting equipment and heavy earthmovers to clear the road, he said.
A bomb disposal squad and sniffer dogs accompanied the team to clear the road of any landmines, the official said.
"During the operation, more than 170 trees were removed from the road and two trenches were filled to reopen the 22-km-long road. No landmines were found, nor was there any resistance from the Maoists," he claimed.