Assembly Polls: No Road Connectivity in First Constituency of Maharashtra

Akkalkuwa from Nandurbar district is the first constituency of Maharashtra as per the numbering of state Assembly segments. It is a tribal Assembly seat situated on the border of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Manibeli is the first village in the Akkalkuwa constituency as well as the first village in the state—among the 32 villages that have been submerged in the process of the filling of Sardar Sarovar Dam on river Narmada to the highest level, following Central government’s decision.Varsan Bija Vasave (40), the first voter of Maharashtra, stays in Manibeli. His home, along with the

Scheme Document of Nav Sanjivan Yojana

Even though Vasave was not available in the village on this particular day, his neighbour, Natvarbhai Maganbhai Tadvi, questioned, “How come the government says something like this, which is totally false? Who makes such papers? Can’t they see the situation here?”

Former sarpanch of Manibeli, Narayanbhai Simabhai Tadvi, told NewsClick: “There is not a single road in our village. We have to use the boats even to move from one area to the other within our village. Government is lying if it’s saying that we have roads during all 12 months of the year.” Narayanbhai’s house is exactly in front of the walls of the Sardar Sarovar dam. One can see the huge statue of Sardar Patel from his house.

As the date for the Assembly elections has been are announced in the state [October 21], the leaders of the ruling party—including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis—are making tall claims in their speeches of almost absolute road connectivity in the state. However, how many of these roads are on just on the paper—just like in Manibeli—should be a matter of concern ahead of the Assembly polls.