Chatra villagers protest road for coal transportation, suggest alternate route

Chatra: Residents of three villages of Tandwa block in Chatra district do not want a portion of the road connecting National Thermal Power Corporation’s (NTPC) Chatti Bariatu coal project in Hazaribag and Shivpur railway siding here to pass through the villages and have submitted an alternate route to the company building the road.
Citing apprehension, Congress block president Suresh Ram said, “Central Coalfields Limited transports coal from its Amprapali project using the Simaria-Tandwa Road which passes through some villages. Over the years, several villagers have died due to road accidents that occur mostly due to rash driving by the coal truckers. Our villages have schools and we do not want a similar fate for our people.”
Ram, who is leading the protest, said, “We have submitted a new route chart to the construction company and have told them that this route will not create problems for the villagers. We are awaiting a response.”
According to villagers, the underconstruction 7.5-km road from Sisai to Shivpur at an estimated budget of Rs 23 crore is passing through three villages — Khailha, Brinda and Kabra — of Tandwa block.
A resident of the area, Ravindra Kumar Singh said, “Coal-laden vehicles will pose a threat to students as well as other pedestrians. Hence, the new route identified by the residents of the three villages is the best way out.”
Local NTPC officials, unwilling to be quoted, said they have informed their higher-ups and are waiting for their direction in this matter.