It takes Thatyur-Kempty road 69 yrs to get approval

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, June 8

Residents of more than 12 villages of Chahjula Patti are elated at the start of construction work for the Thatyur-Kempty road in Tehri Garhwal district, for which they had been struggling for the past 69 years.

Residents distributed sweets to celebrate the start of the road work today.

Around Rs 7 crore has been sanctioned for the 23-km road in the first phase.

Surendar Rawat, Zila Panchayat member from Agyarna, inaugurated the work on the road and offered prayers to the local deity on the occasion.

He said it was for the first time since Independence that the long-standing demand of the villagers had been met. Development had eluded the area due to the absence of the road.

Sobat Singh Rawat, president of the Chahjula Vikas Sangarsh Samiti, said the road was awaiting forest clearance since Independence. The residents, who had to walk several kilometres to reach the nearest road, were delighted.

Shyam Singh Aswal, gram pradhan of Agyarna, said with the completion of the road, villagers would be able to sell their produce in the agriculture markets of Vikas Nagar and Dehradun.

Residents of more than 12 villages, namely Langdasu, Kolti, Mawana, Kimoi, Matholi, Tuneta, Thapla, Kafulta, Jinsi, Nautha, Riyat Gaon and Langwal Gaon in Chahjula Patti, had been struggling for a road to the village for the past 69 years. They had even led an agitation and boycotted the Lok Sabha elections.

Sajjan Singh Rawat, secretary, Disaster Management; Bahrat Singh Rawat, Sobat Singh, Chaman Singh, Rajesh Singh, Raghuvir Rawat, Balveer Singh, Virendar Padyar, Govind Singh Rawat and Motiram Rawat were present on the occasion.