Commuters residing in Jantri panchayat of Malkangiri district are allegedly left with no other choice than to depend on the roads of Andhra Pradesh.

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In the rural expanse of Odisha, a curious dependency has emerged. The Jantri panchayat leans heavily on the roads constructed by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, presenting a sorry state of connectivity across state borders.

Plight of the Jantri panchayat residents

Reaching this panchayat via only Odisha's road infrastructure necessitates a formidable 60-kilometre journey by water. The path from the block headquarters in Chitrakonda spans over 80 kilometres, with the district headquarters even farther away at 150 kilometres.

Situated in the Swabhiman Anchal of Malkangiri's Chitrakonda block, Jantri panchayat is surrounded by dense forests and difficult terrain, some residents expressed.

Local infrastructure remains underdeveloped, compelling Jantri residents to depend on the Andhra roads. Without this assistance, locals mostly resort to basic means of transport to connect with the outside world.

Travelling to the Chitrakonda block headquarters is a tough and tasking three-hour venture over predominantly uneven pathways. Land travel alone remains a challenge, rendering a lone ferry vital for reaching this remote locality.

Allegedly, 13 villages in the panchayat, Aralam Pada, Dabuguda, and Dhakdapadar are particularly isolated and heavily reliant on waterborne transport due to their encirclement by water.

Village life is marked by rudimentary infrastructure, with many homes built from mud and straw, inadequately shielded from the elements with polythene coverings.

While change is visible with the establishment of a Border Security Force (BSF) camp, which marks improved security after previous Maoist activity, challenges in obtaining basic services linger on.

Residents have repeatedly appealed to the local authorities for essential amenities but to no avail. Concerns persist over Andhra potentially influencing or annexing the 13 villages if prompt action is not taken.

When contacted, Malkangiri Additional Collector Bedabara Pradhan said, “Residents are to pass through a village road when coming from that side (Andhra side). DPR (detailed project report) has been prepared for a proposed bridge from our side (Odisha side).”

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“The new bridge will be a bigger one and (after completion) it will help facilitate better road connectivity in the region,” the Additional Collector added.