BHOPAL: Road connectivity has remained a major issue in the Vindhya region for more than a decade. Neither 15 years of Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s rule, nor 15 months of Kamal Nath government could change the condition of the major highways of the region.
Local residents say that maintenance of Chhuhiya Ghat has not been done for roughly the past five years. It was because of this major obstacle that most daily commuters used to avoid this road and take alternative roads, including the one where the ill-fated bus met with an accident.
Strategic Chhuhiya Ghat
The location of Chhuhiya Ghat is very strategic as it connects Rewa, Shahdol, Sidhi and Satna districts. It is also the main road linking Singrauli, the mining-rich district. Because of mining transportation, huge trucks get stuck at this point and cause roadblocks. This is a normal phenomenon at this point, say residents. However, the local administration has not bothered to provide a solution till date.
The main Sidhi-Singrauli highway that is also a part of the Bharat Mala Project remains unfinished even after more than five years. This national highway No. 37 connects Madhya Pradesh with Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. The construction on NH-37 in Madhya Pradesh has been going on intermittently for the past five years with most of the road dug up, leaving commuters to take care of themselves. Local residents allege that contractors have quit, leaving the project incomplete.
Partially dug-up highway
Another major highway, Rewa-Amarkantak-Shahdol, also remains partially dug up, forcing travellers to fend for themselves. It provides access to three national highways — NH-7 and NH-75 at Rewa and NH-78 at Shahdol. It also provides access to the Amarkantak-origin of the Narmada river. This highway connects Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and passes through Madhya Pradesh. “We don’t know what has been done on paper, but there has been no progress at the ground level for the past three years,” say locals. Maintenance work has been stopped by the contractor, leading to worsening of the road condition.
Another major connecting road of the Vindhya region between Rewa and Satna is also not in good shape. Singrauli district is one of the highest revenue generating districts in the state yet its connectivity has never shown any concern for the government, he added.
‘All major highways in disrepair’
"Fifteen years of BJP, or 15 months of the Congress government in the state — none of them cared for the Vindhya region for reasons best known to them. All the major highways in the region are in a shambles and the administration is busy minting money," former leader of the Opposition Ajay Singh said.
