Koraput: Amo Kotiya, a local organisation, has suggested the revival of a British-era road in the region to lessen dependence of residents on Andhra Pradesh and expedite development activities in the disputed panchayat.

The organisation, which works for the development of Kotiya panchayat under Pottangi block, has claimed that, if revived, the 15km road from Pottangi to Naredavalsa will provide direct communication to the residents of at least 15 villages to the block headquarters town.

"At present, the residents of 15 villages have to cover 70km via Salur in Andhra to reach Pottangi. They cover 25km to reach Salur, which is 45km from Pottangi," said Amo Kotiya convener and former Koraput collector Gadadhar Parida.

"If the old 15km road is renovated, the villagers will have direct communication to Pottangi, and development works could be expedited at those villages," he said.

Parida, along with retired revenue inspector Gadadhar Swain, discovered the road - tucked between hills and streams - while on a trek from Pottangi to Neradavalsa on Saturday.

He said the road was probably constructed by the British around 1930 and had been used for a long time. Subsequently, it fell into neglected after construction of the national highway connecting Salur to Pottangi.

"The road still exits in its original form. However, there are thick green cover at certain patches that need to be cleared. A couple of bridges also need to be constructed over the streams," Parida said.

"We will submit a proposal to the district administration for restoration of the road."

Last week, the state government sent a high-level inter-departmental team to take stock of development activities at the disputed panchayat after reports of frequent intrusion by Andhra government officials to execute their welfare programmes had surfaced.

Both the Odisha and Andhra governments have been entangled in a legal battle over the ownership of 21 out of 28 villages in Kotiya panchayat since 1968.