Five villages in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath to gain road connectivity for the first time since independence

Residents of five villages in the Joshimath block will see the building of a road linking their villages to the metropolis in post-independence India for the first time in history. The villagers’ long-standing requests and sustained agitation have finally paid off, since the road’s completion will allow the roughly 1000 residents of these villages to travel.

The much-anticipated Pakhi-Hyuna-Lanji-Pokhani-Dweing Tapon road work has finally started, according to official sources. The old people were emotional as building began, tears welling up in their eyes. They spoke about how exhausting it was to walk the difficult five kilometers of the village route, but at this point in their life, they were happy that they could now drive to the village.

According to information gleaned from public works department sources, the Pakhi-Hyuna-Lanji-Pokni-Dwing Tapon road was approved by the government in 2013. In 2020, further consent was given for the transfer of forest land. However, financial limitations caused a three-year halt to the road’s work. The local people organized many demonstrations during this period to support the road’s development. Finally, after a three-year postponement, the road’s construction has started.

A panorama of Pakhi Village
In Joshimath, almost a thousand structures might be demolished.
Kundan Singh Hyuna village resident Rana, 70, was relieved that the much-needed road building had finally begun. He said that in the past, peasants had to face difficulties including landslides and the rainy season on their difficult 5 kilometer trip to reach their destinations. Rana conveyed her thankfulness that this dangerous voyage will shortly come to an end.

“We had a long-cherished dream of building a road to our village and now that the road is built, migration from the villages will stop,” says 68-year-old Gabbar Singh of Lanji village. Transporting unwell patients to the hospital will be simpler.”

“The challenging path towards road construction should not be underestimated,” said Sandeep Bhandari, the local head. This is what the government has finished today as a consequence of the villagers’ ongoing efforts.”

“The upcoming construction of this road circuit will involve an approximately 80-meter extension over the Alaknanda River, as well as the installation of a 30-meter motor bridge connecting Lanji and Dwing villages,” said Rajesh Chandra, the Superintending Engineer of the Public Works Department in Joshimath, according to The New Indian Express. The first phase of road building has been given a budget of Rs 2.34 crore, and hill cutting activities are anticipated to be completed in a year.”

A 10-kilometer road connecting the villages of Huna and Pakhi will be built in the first phase of the project, with five kilometers projected to be finished by December, according to Rajveer Chauhan, the Public Works Department’s executive engineer, who spoke with TNIE.