BARIPADA: Even after 77 years of Independence, the villages within the Kalamgadia and Ramchandrapur gram panchayats (GPs) in Kaptipada sub-division of Mayurbhanj district, bordering Mayurbhanj-Balasore districts, are deprived of motorable roads affecting their communication between Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts. They have been demanding a 5-km motorable road from Ramchandrapur to Kupari in Balasore district since long.
While these villages receive government benefits from Mayurbhanj district, they heavily rely on Kupari, Agarpada, Soro, Kaspa, Kainthagadia, Patrakhunta, Kobar, and Kalakanta in both Balasore and Bhadrak districts for jobs, medical services, marketing facilities and education. However, with the onset of the rains, their mobility becomes severely hindered due to the lack of a motorable road.
While a narrow morrum road connects these villages to towns in Balasore, the motorable roads extend only into Bhadrak district. However, in absence of roads, even ambulances fail to reach the needy.Members of Sarat Bikash Manch, a social outfit, Rimil Singh Gamay, Goipai Dumbi Singh Baipai, Dularam Singh Banara, Ladura Haiburu said they have submitted numerous memorandums to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik through collectors of both Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts, urging construction of a motorable. However, their pleas have remained unheard.
Even during medical emergency, the villagers depend on Kupari and the Balasore district headquarters hospital, both of which are within 10 to 15 km distance. But the Kaptipada sub-divisional hospital in Mayurbhanj district is situated over 25 km away from their villages, making their commute challenging.
The villagers have also apprised their grievance through memoranda to minister Basanti Hembram, minister of Women and Child Development, Mission Shakti, and MoSarkar 5T on August 31, urging allocation of funds for motorable road from Ramchandrapur in Mayurbhanj district to Kupari in Balasore district.