Spade in hand, groom constructs road for guests on wedding day in Odisha's Koraput

A groom from Jambuguda village in Koraput district’s Narayanpatna block constructed a mud road to his village on the day of his wedding, after his repeated requests to the administration for a motorable road were ignored. Despite the absence of any proper route, only a footpath connecting the village, Manoj Kuldeep took the initiative to create a passable road to ease access for wedding guests.

Villagers Join Groom to Make the Road Motorable

Eventually, Manoj, with support from local residents, levelled the footpath using soil to make it suitable for vehicles. On his wedding day, he picked up a spade and hoe and worked alongside others to complete the task.

Effort Helps Guests Reach Village Without Trouble

This effort enabled the bride’s family and guests to reach Jambuguda without difficulty. His initiative drew appreciation from fellow villagers.

Manoj Kuldeep, the groom, said, “On the day of my wedding, with the help of the villagers, I built a motorable road as there wasn’t one earlier. These days, not many people prefer walking—they usually travel by vehicle. Weddings are always crowded, and people come from distant places to attend. They would have faced serious difficulties if there had been no road.”

Dilip Nayak, a resident of the village, said, “We faced many problems because there was no motorable road. We had to park our vehicles on the other side of the river and cross it on foot. It was very difficult for us to build this road, but with the groom’s help and support from other villagers, we still managed it.”

Jambuguda Still Lacks Basic Amenities

Jambuguda village falls under Balipeta Panchayat in Narayanpatna block and remains largely untouched by development. Despite being home to around 10 families, the village lacks a concrete road. A river must be crossed to access the area, and the absence of a road makes the prospect of a bridge seem remote. The village also does not have access to safe drinking water.

Aviram Kuldeep, another resident of Jambuguda village, voiced his concerns and said, “There are no basic facilities in our village. The lack of a motorable road has always been a problem, and we also don’t have access to clean drinking water. There is one tubewell in the village, but it dries up during the summer too.”

BDO's Response

In response to the situation, the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Narayanpatna has assured that steps will be taken to bring essential facilities to the village and include it in development plans under applicable schemes.

Minati Jagadeb, Narayanpatna BDO, said, “I will definitely look into the problems faced by the residents of that village. I will speak to the sarpanch and the duty officer there to include the construction of a motorable road in the village development plans. We will address the issues under whichever scheme is applicable.”