Residents ‘ramp walk’ on potholed, muddy road as protest

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): It was a different ramp walk in state capital on Saturday as potholes, muddy roads served as a ramp for women. They entered puddles to protest against dilapidated roads in Danish Nagar on Hoshangabad Road while raising slogan – no sanitation, no tax.

In Danish Nagar, women, children and elderly people came out to protest on the road amid rain. Women dressed up and walked the ramp on the bad road as the film song – Ae Bhai, Zara Dekh Ke Chalo – played in the background. The ramp walk in pits continued for an hour.

People’s representatives use people as vote bank, residents said, adding, “The capital Bhopal is at number 7 position in the country in terms of cleanliness. But city roads are worse than village roads.” They blamed Bhopal Municipal Corporation, Public Works Department and Capital Project Administration (CPA) for dilapidated roads.

Anshu Gupta, one of residents, said, “There are about 500 houses in Danish Nagar. Roads condition is pathetic. People fall in potholes. BMC collects tax but hardly pays attention for road repairing. Colonisers don’t provide facilities. So, we resorted to ramp walk to raise our voice against concerning agencies.”

Uma Sharma said, “We are living here for last 30 years. Roads condition is always pathetic. Street lights do not function. Sewage system is damaged. We cannot move on roads in rainy season.”

Madhya Pradesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MPCCI) too has raised the voice against garbage cess collected by civic bodies but they hardly remove garbage.

Published on: Sunday, September 05, 2021, 12:31 AM IST