Murshidabad/East Midnapore10 hours agoAuthor: Tirthankar Das
Hundreds of kilometres apart, two villages in Murshidabad and East Midnapore tell the same story of neglect. While governments have repeatedly promised better rural infrastructure, residents of both districts say they are still forced to depend on damaged roads that have turned everyday life into a struggle.
Murshidabad village stuck with decades old morrum road
In Gura Dighi Pahar village under Nabagram block in Murshidabad, residents continue to use a decades-old morrum road. Despite repeated demands, the village has never received a proper concrete or bitumen road. Locals claim only a 100-metre stretch was concreted during the 2020–21 financial year at a cost of ₹3.39 lakh, while the remaining road remains broken and uneven.
The poor condition has made daily travel difficult, particularly for schoolchildren, elderly residents and commuters. During the monsoon, the road becomes slippery and accident-prone, making it difficult for people to access schools, markets, and healthcare facilities.
East Midnapore residents hit the streets over road condition
A similar situation has emerged in Uttar Sagarbari village under the Purba Panskura Assembly constituency in East Midnapore, where hundreds of residents recently staged a protest demanding immediate repair of a severely damaged road.
Villagers said the road becomes virtually unusable during the rainy season, making it difficult to take patients to hospitals or for children to attend school. They also claimed the poor connectivity has affected social life, with some families reportedly hesitant to arrange marriages in the village because of its poor infrastructure.
Infrastructure gaps continue despite repeated complaints
Residents of East Midnapore also pointed to other unfinished civic works, including a damaged wooden bridge over the Denan canal and poor access roads leading to the local school. They alleged that repeated written complaints to the authorities have failed to bring lasting solutions.
Meanwhile, in Murshidabad, villagers said the road also serves as the main route to a local ground where Durga Puja and other cultural programmes are organised every year, causing inconvenience to thousands of visitors.
Officials promise action, residents seek results
Responding to the protest, Sagarbari Deputy Pradhan Jyotirmoy Barman said the tender process for repairing the road with morrum had already been completed. However, continuous rainfall has prevented construction vehicles from reaching the site. He assured residents that work would begin once weather conditions improve. He also said the damaged bridge has been reported to the Irrigation Department, and temporary repairs would be carried out if necessary.
For residents of both villages, however, assurances are no longer enough. They say access to safe roads is a basic right, not a privilege. As West Bengal continues to focus on development, these two villages highlight how basic civic infrastructure remains out of reach for many rural communities, forcing thousands to struggle every day for something as fundamental as a motorable road.
