Tribals of Jajulabandha hamlet in Visakhapatnam Agency took it upon themselves to build a 13-km ‘kutcha’ road from their village to the nearest all-weather road, after being vexed by the indifference of successive governments and officials over the years to their plea of laying a road to their village.
The kutcha road, the laying of which was taken up nearly four months ago, is now nearing completion. The daily routine of the tribals for the past 100-odd days has been to leave home early in the morning carrying crowbars, axes and other implements, to take up jungle clearance to facilitate levelling of the soil.
This road connects Arla village of Rolugunta mandal to Jajulabandha of Koyyuru mandal. It is also provides connectivity to Pithrigedda and Peda Garuvu villages.
“We have been submitting representations for construction of a road for the past several years but no government has bothered to do so. Going to a hospital during an emergency becomes a nightmare. We face difficulty even in getting rations. The absence of a road facility is becoming an obstacle in availing benefits of various government schemes,” said Korra Rajababu of Jajulabandha village.
“The State government is spending crores of rupees for the welfare of the socially and economically deprived sections. But what is the use if the benefits do not reach the intended beneficiaries? This is what is happening in some of the remote tribal areas,” he said.
“The tribals, mostly women and youths, cleared the bushes and trees over a 7-km stretch, while an earthmover was deployed for digging and levelling of the ground for the laying of the road, which passes through two hills,” K. Govinda Rao of Girijan Sangham told The Hindu.
“An amount of ₹2,000 was contributed by each tribal household for hiring of the earthmover,” he said.
The tribals hope that the government will now lay a pucca road to their village.
