Cooch Behar: Residents of the Bhabherhat area staged a road blockade on the Mathabhanga–Siliguri state highway on Wednesday, demanding immediate paving of a long-neglected stretch of road. Protesters alleged that the road has remained in a severely dilapidated condition for years, despite repeated assurances from the local administration.
Locals claimed that while promises are routinely made ahead of elections, no concrete steps are taken once the polls are over. They further alleged that roads in several other areas have been upgraded, but the authorities have consistently ignored the poor condition of the road in the Dankoba area under the Pachagarh Gram Panchayat.
The blockade led to heavy traffic congestion on the busy state highway, causing inconvenience to commuters. On receiving information, police from Mathabhanga Police Station rushed to the spot and held discussions with the protesters. After two hours of agitation, the protesters withdrew at 2 pm after police assured them that the matter would be taken up with the concerned authorities. A section of local Trinamool Congress workers also voiced their resentment during the protest.
Anwar Hossain, a local resident who participated in the blockade, said: “There are three Gram Panchayats in Mathabhanga-I Block, but Pachagarh Gram Panchayat continues to suffer from a lack of proper roads. Despite repeated appeals to higher authorities, no action has been taken, forcing locals to protest.”
Responding to the allegations, Pachagarh Gram Panchayat Pradhan Kunti Barman said that the construction of the road does not fall under the Gram Panchayat’s jurisdiction and that the issue has already been brought to the notice of higher authorities.