Frustrated after years of administrative apathy, tribal residents of Koralwadi in Apta Group Gram Panchayat, Panvel taluka, have announced an indefinite hunger strike outside the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) office in Panvel, beginning Wednesday, October 29. The protest aims to demand accountability for substandard road construction and the incomplete Jal Jeevan Mission project.
‘Just 15 km from Navi Mumbai, Yet Forgotten’
“Despite being just 15 kilometres from Navi Mumbai, we live as if we are forgotten by the system. We still don’t have a proper road or clean drinking water,” said Gurudas Waghe, a resident of Koralwadi.
Supported by Gram Sanvardhan Samajik Sanstha and guided by social activist Santosh Thakur, villagers have long campaigned for basic infrastructure through rallies, petitions, and previous hunger strikes — all in vain.
Roadwork Washed Away Before Monsoon
After sustained protests, the government sanctioned two major projects — a drinking water supply scheme under Jal Jeevan Mission three years ago and a road connecting NH-17 (Taregav) to Koralwadi two years ago. However, locals allege both projects remain incomplete.
“The contractor completed the roadwork in April, and by May before the rains it was washed away. That’s how poor the construction was,” said one villager, accusing the Public Works Department (PWD) of gross negligence and misuse of funds.
Thakur demanded a vigilance inquiry into the project, alleging that officials are protecting contractors instead of taking corrective action.
Jal Jeevan Mission Work Delayed for Three Years
Villagers also accused authorities of deliberately stalling the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme. “For three years, they’ve been giving false excuses. We are still waiting for a drop of that promised water,” said another resident.
Katkari Families Await Ration Cards
Under the Katkari Upliftment Programme, several tribal families applied for ration cards and official documents two years ago. However, most still haven’t received them due to alleged negligence by the supply department. “We’ve visited government offices multiple times, but officials keep pushing us away,” villagers complained.
‘This Time, We Won’t Back Down’
Announcing the protest, Santosh Thakur said, “This time, we will not back down. Until action is taken against negligent engineers and pending works are completed, our hunger strike will continue indefinitely.”
