Madhya Pradesh villagers plant paddy on muddy road after 30-year wait

Residents of a remote village in Madhya Pradesh’s Umaria district have planted paddy on a mud-covered road to protest against the authorities’ failure to provide them with a motorable route for nearly three decades.

Villagers from Karigadhari, which falls under the Manikpuri gram panchayat in the Bandhavgarh Assembly constituency, gathered on the muddy stretch carrying paddy saplings. Women, children, young people and elderly residents participated in the demonstration.

A video of the protest has circulated widely on social media over the past two days, drawing attention to the lack of basic infrastructure in the tribal-dominated area.

Residents said they had repeatedly approached the district administration, gram panchayat, state government and local legislator seeking construction of a proper road, but their appeals had produced no result.

“We have only seen this muddy stretch since our birth. Unseasonal rains make it extremely difficult for us to step out. Our fathers pleaded with the district administration, sarpanch, government, and local MLA, and now we are doing the same. But now, we are tired of begging them,” resident Suresh Singh Gond told PTI.

Gond said the stretch had become so difficult to traverse that the villagers decided to treat it as farmland and grow a crop there.

“Maybe now the government will feel ashamed and finally build us a road,” he said.

According to residents, the route becomes particularly hazardous during rainfall. Two-wheelers frequently skid on the muddy surface, leaving riders at risk of injury, while children, elderly residents and pedestrians struggle to travel along it.

The village had also attracted attention last week after a video purportedly showing children crossing a river to reach their homes emerged on social media.

Following the latest protest, Karkeli Janpad Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Himanshu Singh said the administration had taken note of the video and would arrange an inspection.

“We have seen the video. We will send an engineer to inspect the site and, based on the estimate, we will get the road constructed soon,” he told PTI.

The demonstration has again highlighted the difficulties faced by residents of remote tribal areas, where the absence of reliable roads can restrict access to schools, healthcare and other essential services.

With PTI inputs