Purulia, 18 July (H.S.) Villagers in several areas of Jhalda-2 block in West Bengal, bordering Jharkhand, are facing severe difficulties due to the deplorable condition of a key connecting road. Residents of villages like Chitmu, Guridi, Taherbera, and Kanshidi are affected. The situation worsened after soil from a large pond was dumped onto the road, which has now turned into a swampy mess due to ongoing rains.

Locals said the road is of vital importance to them. Farmers regularly use it to travel to Jharkhand’s Jenamod and Bokaro for agricultural purposes, while residents of Guridi take the same route to reach places like Pundag and Kotshila. However, just 400 meters of this damaged stretch has created significant inconvenience.

Shubhajit Garai and Hrishikesh Garai, residents of Guridi, said, “Soil from the pond was illegally dumped on the road. As a result, we are now forced to take a 7-kilometer detour to reach Kotshila and a 17-kilometer detour to get to Pundag railway station.”

According to the villagers, the problem began around March–April when a large embankment in Chitmu was repaired. The leftover soil from the renovation was carelessly dumped onto the adjacent paved road. Continuous rainfall has turned that soil into thick mud. “Walking through the stretch means sinking knee-deep into mud. Driving any kind of vehicle is completely out of the question,” residents added.

Despite repeated complaints to local authorities, no steps have been taken to solve the problem. Hanseshwar Mahato, Chairman of the Parishad's Public Works Department, acknowledged the problem, saying, “We are aware of the issue. The villagers are indeed facing serious difficulties. We are looking into possible solutions.”

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey