Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Amidst the imminent Lok Sabha elections, the villagers of Tukaithar in Khaknar tehsil have taken to the streets, raising banners and rallying with fervent chants of ‘No Road, No Vote’.

The community’s outcry stems from the halting of road construction for over 18 months, causing significant inconvenience to the populace.

Rahul Dixit, deputy sarpanch of gram panchayat Tukaithar, expressed frustration, stating that despite repeated complaints from both public representatives and officials, the matter has been consistently overlooked. “Work has been stopped for one-and-a-half years. There is anger among the villagers due to this,” he remarked.

The sentiment among villagers is resolute- without a proper road infrastructure, their votes are not up for grabs. Sarpanch Ramesh Bhau Batu emphasised, “There is anger among the villagers due to the road not being built. Will vote only if the road is built.”

In response, road construction contractor Sachin Upadhyay clarified that while the majority of the roadwork has been completed, the final stage of asphalt laying remains pending. Assuring swift and prompt action, Upadhyay affirmed that asphalt would arrive by Sunday, with completion slated for Monday or Tuesday. However, whether this assurance will pacify the villagers’ discontent remains to be seen.