Team Goemkarponn
SANKHALI: Residents of Madkaikar Wada in Surla village, under the Sankhali constituency, have expressed strong resentment after a road used by villagers for daily commuting was allegedly dug up and blocked by a landlord using a JCB machine.
The closure has reportedly caused considerable inconvenience to residents, prompting villagers to meet Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and seek his intervention to resolve the issue.
Addressing a press conference, residents of Madkaikar Wada said the road was an important access route connecting their locality to the main road. They claimed that the road had been developed with the support of the local panchayat and the constituency MLA. However, the landlord concerned allegedly objected to the road and subsequently had it dug up using a JCB, blocking access.
The villagers said the closure had affected their daily movement and expressed concern over the difficulties it could cause to senior citizens, women and students. They also pointed out that access to the main road during medical emergencies could become particularly challenging, especially when patients need to be transported to hospitals.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the landowner presented his side of the matter, stating that he had objected to the existing road as it passed through his privately owned property.
However, he claimed that an alternative road had been provided through his own land to ensure that residents of Madkaikar Wada did not face inconvenience.
He urged villagers to consider using the alternative route and maintained that he had no objection to their movement through it. He also called for all concerned parties to sit together and resolve the matter through mutual discussion and understanding.
On the other hand, villagers have expressed strong displeasure over the sudden closure of the road, which they claim was developed with the support of the panchayat and local MLA.
The residents have appealed to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to take serious note of the issue and ensure a permanent solution to their road access problem.
Whether the dispute will be resolved through discussions between the villagers and the landowner or escalate further remains to be seen.
