Govt 'turns blind', Odisha villagers take up road construction on their own

The Odisha government’s alleged failure to construct a road connecting B Raising and Dangari under Mohana block in Gajapati district has forced the residents of Karchbadi panchayat to start construction of road on their own.

According to locals, they have been finding it hard to go to drugstore, local market and panchayat office in the absence of a proper road in their village. Though the 3-km stretch is lying in bad shape, the district administration allegedly never paid heed to it.

Reportedly, ambulance cannot even get into the village due to no motorable road. When the villagers’ repeated pleas allegedly failed to yield any result, the villagers carried out the construction work on their own.

“The road is not even suitable for walking purpose. Due to poor communication facilities, patients are often carried on cot to reach hospital. Patients are brought to B Raising where they are taken to hospital in an auto or ambulance,” rued a villager.

A woman alleged, “We are finding it hard to walk on this road. We approached the officials concerned many a times and drew their attention towards it. However, the government did not wake up from its slumber.”

“Students also depend on this road to reach school. Suffering of pregnant women is beyond description. Though we submitted documents to the concerned authorities for repairing of road leading to hospital, market and school, but in vain," alleged another villager.

Meanwhile, the concerned authorities could not be contacted to comment on the allegations of the villagers.