Chhattisgarh: Manpur, once epicentre of red terror, gets network of roads under PMGSY​

Raipur, March 24 (IANS) The forest-clad regions of Manpur in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh district of Chhattisgarh lived under the shadow of fear caused by ‘red terror’ (naxal insurgency) for many years; however, the network of roads built here over the past few years has changed the face of the region, besides bringing the cycle of violence to an end.​

The credit for notable change largely goes to the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) under which an intricate network of roads has been built in the region, spanning forest areas.​

Previously, villagers had to rely on footpaths to reach the district headquarters, but now the road network has brought a drastic change to the city's landscape, significantly improving its connectivity.​

The roads constructed under PMGSY have brought positive change in the lives of the villagers. As a result, connectivity has vastly improved in the villages within the district's forest zones — a development for which the villagers are expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister.​

Villager Shiv Kumar, speaking to IANS, said, "Previously, there were no roads in our village. Whenever a villager fell ill, we had difficulty reaching the hospital. Now, Modiji has ensured that a road is built in our village. If any villager falls ill today, we can easily reach the hospital without facing any difficulties. Since our village borders the forests, we used to live in constant fear of Naxalites, but now that the road has been constructed, we no longer face any such issues. All of this has been made possible solely because of the Prime Minister."​

Another villager stated, "A road has been constructed in our village under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Before this, due to the lack of a proper road, we had to rely on narrow footpaths to reach the district headquarters. Vehicles often broke down midway, causing us significant hardship. Now that the road is complete, commuting has become incredibly convenient for us."​

A young villager, Chetan, speaking to IANS, said, "Previously, the access route to our village was in a deplorable condition. The situation has changed dramatically now. We no longer face any difficulties and can travel anywhere with ease. All of this has been made possible because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi."​

District Collector Tulika Prajapati said that construction of roads, bridges, and culverts in the district is progressing rapidly, and this is expected to accelerate development and connectivity in rural areas.​

Currently, the construction of numerous roads, bridges, and culverts is underway across the district. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, a sum of ₹1,240 lakhs has been sanctioned for the renovation of approximately 50 km of roads, and the work for these projects is already in progress.

​--IANS​

mr/dan

​