Kaptipada: A one-km stretch of a road between Beladiha and Athanagan that comes under Kaptipada block in Mayurbhanj district has become a nightmare for commuters.
This is the main road that provides connectivity to people to the block headquarters at Kaptipada and Udala sub-division.
Thousands of people living in Beladiha, Athanagan and Gudugudia panchayats are upset over the deplorable condition of the road.
Daily commuters like college students, school children and traders have to negotiate craters on the road. They said they had taken up the issue with the panchayat and block authorities several times in the past, but to no avail.
The road is in such a miserable condition that ambulances and fire tenders can’t use it during emergency, said Rajendra Mahakud and Saiba Mahakud.
Upset over the pathetic condition of the road and the official apathy, about 5,000 people have warned of launching an agitation.
Meanwhile, they brought the issue to the notice of the sub-collector, the BDO, the block chairperson and the local sarpanchs.
“For a long time, the road has been full of potholes. Slight rain is enough to fill the craters with water and slush. Commuting on the route is almost impossible,” fumed Purushottam Mahakud and Chaitanya Hansda.
With predictions of monsoon hitting the state as early as the first week of June, villagers demanded that the road be repaired on a war footing.
About 90 per cent of the people in the area belong to tribal community. “We have no capacity to fight and get the work done. Panchayat representatives and block officials are taking advantage of our silence and doing nothing,” said Bharat Mahakud.
Others alleged that the administration carries out work where it is not necessary, only to help the contractors make money.
The villagers wanted the road to be handed over to the rural development department so that it would be reconstructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
BDO Rabindra Kumar Mallick said whatever step will be taken it will be only after holding talks with the local sarpanch and the engineer tasked to look after the work.