Khowai, August 3: In an unusual but striking form of protest, residents of South Ghilatali village under Kalyanpur Promodnagar area in Tripura’s Khowai district planted paddy saplings on a severely damaged road on Sunday.
The road, regarded as the primary route for local transportation, has been in a deplorable state for a long time. The situation becomes particularly unbearable during the monsoon, when potholes and accumulated water make it nearly impossible for vehicles and pedestrians to pass. Villagers allege that despite repeated appeals to authorities, no action has been taken to repair the road.
The poor condition of the road has badly impacted daily life. Students face trouble commuting to schools, patients struggle to reach healthcare facilities, and even basic access to the local panchayat office has become a challenge.
Expressing their frustration, the villagers decided to highlight their plight in a symbolic way. By planting paddy saplings on the broken stretch, they turned the damaged road into a temporary field, hoping to grab the attention of government officials and draw media focus on their long-standing problem.
“This is our last resort,” said one of the protestors. “We have made several requests for road repairs, but no one listened to us. Since the road has already become like a paddy field during rains, we thought of planting saplings to show how neglected it is.”
The protest has become the talk of the area, with locals hoping that the demonstration will finally compel the concerned authorities to take swift action.
Such symbolic protests have been used in several parts of India in recent years, reflecting a growing sense of frustration among rural communities over the state of basic infrastructure and governance.
