RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh government has announced a three-day ‘Bastar Tiranga Yatra 2026’ ahead of Independence Day. The rally commenced on Wednesday and is likely to cover around a 500-km stretch through Maoist-affected southern districts.
A massive motorcycle rally has set off from Narayanpur, led by Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma alongside Forest and Transport Minister and Narayanpur BJP MLA Kedar Kashyap.
The rally carries a message of national pride, peace, and development, slated to travel through key interior pockets of Dantewada, Sukma, and Bijapur before concluding on August 14 at the foothills of the Karegutta Hills, once considered a dense Maoist stronghold.
The rally group is receiving a warm reception from residents at different locations. Along the route, the participants paid tributes to the security personnel and civilians who laid down their lives during decades of conflict in the region.
”From now on, no one will stop guests from visiting your villages, no one will disrupt your traditional Madai fairs, and no one will loot your homes,” Sharma said while addressing the gathering with a strong message of reassurance.
“The Constitution written by Babasaheb Ambedkar holds immense power to take everyone forward, and no force can prevent its full implementation now,” Sharma added.
A key feature of the rally is its tribute to those who lost their lives at major incident sites, including Chingavaram, Errabor, Manikonta and Tadmetla.
As part of the “Ek Ped Shaheedon Ke Naam” (One Tree in the Name of Martyrs) initiative, participants are planting a tree at each memorial site for every jawan and civilian killed.
Beyond displaying the national flag, the yatra serves as a live exhibition of Bastar’s transformation, highlighting progress in roads, healthcare, digital connectivity, agriculture, and government welfare schemes across areas that once echoed with gunfire for decades. Large parts of Bastar remained under the shadow of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), which waged a war against the state and the security forces.
Over the three days, riders will cover 90 to 180 km each day along routes once considered among the most feared:
Day 1 (August 12): Starts at Narayanpur, passing through Dhaodai, Kanhargaon, Bodenar, Satsadhar, Barsoor, and Geedam before an overnight halt in Dantewada.
Day 2 (August 13): Moves from Dantewada through Kuakonda, Bhusaras Valley, Chingavaram, Sukma, Errabor, Manikonta, Dornapal, Polampalli, Bukkanpalli, Minpa, Tadmetla, Chintalnar, Jagargunda, Silger, Tekalgudem, and Awapalli, arriving in Bijapur.
Day 3 (August 14): Departs Bijapur through Awapalli, Usur, Galgam, Nambi, and Tadapalla, concluding at the Karegutta Hills.
