Gurupriya Bridge

Gurupriya Bridge is a 910-metre road bridge over the Janbai River near Chitrakonda in Malkangiri District, Odisha. Inaugurated in July 2018, it connects Chitrakonda town with 151 previously water-locked villages across the Balimela Reservoir, an area long referred to as the cut-off area. The bridge is noted for its engineering, strategic connectivity importance, and scenic setting amid forested hills and reservoir waters.

Visitors can expect a long, straight concrete bridge spanning the Janbai River and Balimela Reservoir backwaters, surrounded by forested Eastern Ghats hills and expansive water views. The site offers open panoramic views of the reservoir, river valley and distant hills, with opportunities for photography and scenic driving. There are no commercial developments on the bridge itself; the experience is primarily sightseeing and viewing the landscape from the bridge and its approach roads.

The bridge was constructed by the Government of Odisha to restore road connectivity to villages separated by the Balimela Reservoir since its creation in the 1960s. Foundation stone was laid in 2014 and construction was executed by Royal Infra Construction. Completed in 2018 at a cost of about Rs 187.25 crore, the 910-metre bridge was inaugurated on 26 July 2018, linking the mainland Chitrakonda block with the reservoir-surrounded villages.

The bridge holds social and cultural importance for tribal communities in the Chitrakonda region by providing year-round road access to markets, healthcare, education and administrative services, facilitating greater interaction and mobility for residents of the previously water-surrounded villages.