The Final Push: Highway to End India's Longest Insurgency
In a strategic masterstroke against India's most persistent internal security threat, the 28-kilometer missing stretch of National Highway 130-D is set to carve through the formidable heart of Abujmarh. This dense jungle region, long considered the impenetrable headquarters of Maoist insurgents, served for decades as a deadly trap for security forces and the undisputed capital of the notorious Red Corridor.
From No-Go Zone to Development Corridor
Buoyed by the recent opening of Maharashtra's last post near the Chhattisgarh border at Binagunda after thirty years, this critical infrastructure project is now accelerating. Once a booby-trapped territory where hundreds of police personnel faced ambushes, this jungle stronghold stands on the brink of irreversible transformation as asphalt and development penetrate its shadows.
Known grimly as the "graveyard of police personnel", Abujmarh remained under Maoist iron-fisted control for over half a century. The region's oppressive Jantana Sarkar—the rebels' parallel government—operated kangaroo courts, extorted tribals, banned schools and hospitals, and effectively froze all progress for five decades. Electricity, roads, mobile connectivity, and basic governance were treated as enemy intrusions in this development black hole.
Engineering a New Future
The 28-kilometer missing link, stretching from Gundenoor Nalla to the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border, will connect isolated tribal villages including Binagunda, Laheri, Dhodraj, Bhamragad, and Hemalkasa. This completes the 112-kilometer NH-130D declared in 2017, creating a vital artery through previously inaccessible territory.
Sanctioned by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on February 18 last year, the ₹381.32 crore project features a 5.5-meter bituminous carriageway with an 18-meter right-of-way. Infrastructure includes five major bridges, one minor bridge, thirty-five box culverts, hillside retaining walls, and comprehensive road safety measures. Forest clearance under the 1980 Act received approval in December 2024, with tenders launched on February 24 last year.
Strategic and Developmental Impact
"This is no ordinary road project," emphasized an official within the anti-Maoist intelligence apparatus. "By slicing through the Red Corridor, the highway will shatter rebel logistics, enable lightning-fast deployment of forces, and usher in state presence, trade, and essential services."
Officials highlight the project's dual importance for goods movement and troop safety in one of India's most Naxal-ravaged zones. Upon completion, it promises to deliver:
- Employment opportunities for local communities
- Access to markets for tribal produce
- Tourism potential in pristine tribal landscapes
- The end of decades of isolation and neglect
Security Offensive Accelerates
With the Centre's March 31, 2026, deadline to eradicate Naxalism approaching, Maharashtra's elite C-60 commandos have launched aggressive operations in Abujmarh's foothills. In lightning strikes, these specialized units stormed former rebel citadels, establishing fortified police camps overnight in villages like Binagunda—directly along the highway's path.
The operation mobilized over 1,000 personnel to bulldoze access tracks and seize strategic heights. "The goal is to dismantle the crumbling Jantana Sarkar, install elected panchayats, safeguard stalled infrastructure like bridges and towers, and trigger rebel surrenders," explained an official from the Maharashtra security agency.
"The Red Corridor is collapsing fast," the official added. "Abujmarh and North Bastar were declared Maoist-free in late 2025 after surgical strikes eliminated top commanders."
This highway represents more than infrastructure—it symbolizes the final chapter in India's longest-running insurgency, transforming a zone of conflict into a corridor of connectivity and progress.
