Rampachodavaram: Tribal hamlets get roads, but no buses

Rampachodavaram(ASR District): Roads, without transport facilities, have become useless in many villages in Paderu revenue division, thus causing hardships to tribals during their journeys.

During the past 10 years, crores of rupees have been spent on the construction of roads under Paderu revenue division in Alluri Sitarama Raju district. ITDA officials said that roads laid in 600 villages in 11 mandals. People of various villages in Munchangiputtu, Hukumpet, Pedabayalu and Dumbriguda mandals complain that their conditions was not changed as roads were laid but didn't provided any transport facilities.

The RTC is not running buses in these routes. In some Maoist-affected areas, even the minibuses run by the police department, are stopped. Auto services are available only in a very few areas. Moreover, due to unavailability and high cost of diesel everywhere, transportation facilities to remote areas are very rare.

Like in old days when people used horses and doli, now the tribals are dependent on these ancient mode of transport facilities. Youth are traveling on horses within Munchangiputtu mandal. Ration items, other goods and even materials used for house construction are being transported on horses.

The plight of people living in hilly villages is deplorable.

It will be chaos if anyone falls sick in these villages as they have to carry patients on a doli for 10 to 20 kilometres for treatment.

CPM leader K Govinda Rao pointed out that many people lost their lives on their way to hospital in doli due to lack of timely treatment. He said that from time to time they are submitting petitions to the District Collector and ITDA Project Officer on these situations.

Rajababu, a youth from Pedabayalu mandal, was furious at RTC officials, who say that they will run buses everywhere there is a road. But, did not run buses to their areas despite having blacktop roads, he pointed out and criticised that the officials are neglecting their areas because of low income.

When The Hans India spoke to ITDA Project Officer R Gopala Krishna over this, he said that the officials have been directed to run RTC buses keeping public needs in mind.