Dumka, June 14 (IANS) Lathipahar, a quaint and remote location in Jharkhand’s Dumka district, got its first brush with modernity as it was linked with a road for the first time since Independence. The region, situated in the midst of forest and high hills, has natural vegetation in abundance, but it remained disconnected and detached from city life in the absence of road connectivity.

It’s 75 years after Independence that Lathipahar and its people have been brought into the mainstream of development. The credit for this goes to PM JANMAN Yojana, under which a long road stretch has been built connecting it with the city headquarters.

Lathipahar boasts of a glorious history; residents of this village played a pivotal role in the struggle against the Britishers during the Quit India Movement of 1942. However, for many after Independence, the villages remained in shambles due to a lack of basic amenities. Villagers faced immense hardships for years because there was no road, no electricity, and no connectivity with the city headquarters.

Venturing out of the village was a major challenge. After completing primary education, children had to walk nearly 12 km along mountain paths to pursue further studies. Employment opportunities were limited, and villagers struggled to transport their produce to the market. Women and girls also faced various social issues due to difficulties in commuting.

The state of healthcare facilities was even more concerning. If someone fell ill, patients had to be carried on cots for 12 kms on foot. Transporting pregnant women and critically ill patients to the hospital was extremely difficult, as neither ambulances nor other vehicles could reach the village.

Village headman Lagan Grihi stated that before the road was built, people faced significant trouble commuting, but with road connectivity, children’s education has become easier, and travel for villagers has become convenient.

Local villager Vishnu Grihi described the road construction as a major achievement for the village. He noted that while taking patients to the hospital used to be extremely difficult, the situation is now changing rapidly, bringing relief to the people.

In 2025, the construction of a road from Baska to Lathipahar was approved under the Pradhan Mantri Janman Yojana. A 2.40-kilometre-long road was constructed by cutting through the hills at a cost of approximately Rs 1.98 crore.

Assistant Engineer Sudhanshu Kumar stated that the hilly terrain posed several challenges during construction, but the road was successfully completed by overcoming all obstacles.

Executive Engineer Sushil Kumar Sinha remarked that the construction of this road would provide villagers with better connectivity and open new avenues for development.

Notably, PM JANMAN is a scheme aiming to enhance the socio-economic conditions of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by providing them with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water, improved access to education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, electrification of un-electrified households and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

–IANS

mr/uk