Bhubaneswar, Oct. 17 -- National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is developing the 464.662-km Raipur-Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. Of the total length, 240.372 km passes through Odisha's Nabarangpur and Koraput districts. The corridor is being developed as a six-lane, access-controlled highway.

The corridor will connect Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, providing a faster link between mineral-rich regions of central India and Visakhapatnam Port. It is expected to improve freight movement, support industries and strengthen access to markets and employment opportunities, particularly in remote and tribal areas.

The corridor is expected to reduce travel time between Raipur and Visakhapatnam from...