A metalled road in Metar, Dumri or Kedal was something like asking for the moon for the villagers there in Palamu’s Manatu police station area till two years ago but now three roads are coming up here under adequate security cover and the work on these roads has been so far trouble-free, said sources.
Sources said 19.7 Km metallic road is coming up between Manatu and Metar. Similarly 11.5 Km long metallic road is under construction between Dumri and Metar. One another road Dumri Kedal a distance of 7.5 Kms is also under way. Sources said the total cost of these roads coming up under PMGSY is around 30 crores.
Sources said such a heavy investment here in the past was most unthinkable as in Metar, Kedal, Dumri officials did come but only during the poll times like panchayat election, Vidhan Sabha and lok Sabha. The locations here present a classic neglect where civilization ends said sources.
Sources said these Gramin Roads under Pradhan Mantra Gramin Sadak Yojna on their completion will not only connect the disconnected human habitation to the mainstream of life here but will give a fillip to the rural economy here. Sources said in the 90s here then DC Palamu A S Mathew was detained by extremists who was rescued sfter great many troubles.
Sources said what is Metar to Palamu it is Metlong to latehar in the context of notoriety of the places.
Indrajeet Mahatha SP Palamu on Thursday made a detour of these roads taking stock of the safety and security there.
Sources said SP wore a white gamchha partially on his head and did a pillion rider on a bike to see things for himself in the red turf of the Maoists.
Mahatha said, “He made a detour of these locations just to review the security apparatus are in order and are effective too.”
Sources said the recent episode of burning down of road making equipments in the nearby district Chatra’s Pratappur where extremists set afire equipments worth 10 crores has alarmed the police in Palamu which is taking no chance where multi crore developmental works are on.
Incidentally Manatu of Palamu borders with Chatra and with porous borders coming in and going out of extremists from one side to the other is not an unheard of thing.