Villagers demand paved road, plant rice seedlings in protest

BALURGHAT: Despite repeated appeals to the Gram Panchayat and the Block Administration, the unmetalled road to the village has not been paved. On Sunday, villagers from the Mahura Kismat Pitalimore near Gangarampur staged a protest, blocking the state highway by laying tree trunks and bamboo barricades across the road. They also planted rice seedlings in the potholes of the road as a mark of protest.

The road from Pitalimore to Debipur stretches nearly one kilometer, passing through the Mahinpara village, home to several thousand residents. Despite decades since independence, the Mahura Kismat Mahi Para road remains unmetalled. Villagers complain that in case of even a little rain, there are floods that are knee-deep. During the monsoon season, students find it impossible to attend school or college. In cases of medical emergencies, the sick have to be carried on makeshift stretchers to the nearest paved road before an ambulance can take them to the hospital.

The neighbouring villages face similar issues. The blockade caused severe inconvenience for traders, farmers, and locals heading to the Shibbari market. Gangarampur police rushed to the scene after receiving the news. A villager remarked: “The road has turned into a paddy field. Despite requests for a paved road, nothing has been done, forcing us to protest today.”

Gangarampur Block Development Officer (BDO) Arpita Ghoshal assured: “Arrangements will be made to pave the road soon.”