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Hazaribag village: 78 years on, muddy roads persist
13 Jun
Summary
- Hundreds of villagers rely on muddy roads and a bamboo bridge.
- Construction tender issued two years ago, but work has not started.
- Monsoon season brings severe hardship, with villages cut off.
In Hazaribag district, the residents of Ara village under Ichak block continue to face significant challenges nearly eight decades after India's independence. Approximately 400 villagers are still reliant on a muddy road and a makeshift bamboo bridge to access block and district headquarters. This situation is exacerbated during the monsoon season, when the 1.5-km road turns into a slushy mire, and the Barki river's flow becomes dangerous.
A tender for a permanent road and bridge was issued approximately two years ago. However, construction has not commenced, reportedly due to pending no-objection certificates (NOCs). This delay forces villagers to use a precarious bamboo bridge, built by the community last July, or take longer, sometimes unusable, detours. During emergencies, patients and pregnant women are carried on cots as vehicles cannot reach the village.
Residents have expressed frustration over the lack of concrete action despite numerous visits by officials and elected representatives. The local mukhiya has sent letters to various departments, and the block development officer has pledged to expedite the NOC clearance. Villagers warn of potential agitation if the problem is not resolved soon.
