Berhampur: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday said the road connecting Berhampur and Jeypore will be upgraded to a six-lane highway at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore. Addressing an annual function of a school here, Majhi said the proposed highway would serve as an economic corridor for southern Odisha.

The Chief Minister said his government has decided to improve road connectivity across the State by linking the eastern and southern regions as well as the northern and western parts with the support of the Central government.

Calling Berhampur the “heart of southern Odisha”, the Chief Minister said at least 10 major roads would be constructed to improve connectivity within the city and its adjoining areas, with an estimated outlay of Rs 52.17 crore. Majhi said the administration has been directed to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) to develop a Greater Berhampur by including some adjoining panchayats.

The Chief Minister also announced the establishment of “food streets” in different areas under Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) area. On the education front, the Chief Minister said the government was giving importance to the recruitment of qualified teachers and creating the necessary infrastructure for teaching.

“To overcome the shortage of teachers in the State, we have taken steps to create 45,000 teacher posts in 3 years,” he said. The State government has decided to provide free textbooks to children up to Class 10 from the next academic year, he added.