Pawan Kalyan lays foundation for roads in Manyam district

 In a move set to alleviate the hardships faced by residents of tribal villages, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Friday laid the foundation stone for the construction of key infrastructure projects in Parvathipuram Manyam district. Along with Tribal and Women and Child Welfare minister Gummidi Sandhyarani, Kalyan inaugurated the construction of new BT roads, with an overall investment of Rs 36.71 crore.

 

As part of a series of commitments made during the election campaign, Kalyan sought to resolve long-standing issues faced by the tribal communities, including the infamous "doli hardships." These hardships refer to the tradition of carrying sick children in dolis (wooden stretchers) for long distances due to the absence of proper healthcare facilities and roads. In an effort to ease these struggles, Kalyan initiated the construction of a BT road connecting Bagujola and Sirivara under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The project, which has an estimated cost of Rs 9.50 crore, will benefit several hilly villages, including Sirivara, Chinna Mandangi, and Chilaka Mandangi. Speaking at the ceremony, Kalyan emphasized that the development of 16 BT roads in 19 other tribal villages, at a cost of Rs 20.11 crore, would bring much-needed relief to the residents of the region. The roads, set to be constructed under the Employment Guarantee Scheme, will improve connectivity for approximately 3,782 tribals living in 55 villages.

 

With a total distance of 39.32 km to be covered, these projects aim to end the practice of carrying children in dolis, replacing it with improved access to health facilities, transportation, and overall development. Earlier in the day, Kalyan visited a photo exhibition at Bagujola showcasing the condition of tribal villages and the ongoing development initiatives under the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA).

 

He interacted with officials and reviewed the progress of the projects, especially the road construction efforts designed to uplift the tribals. The event saw the participation of local MLAs Nimmaka Jayakrishna, Jagadeeswari, Lokam Madhavi, and other officials, including Panchayat Raj Rural Development Commissioner Krishna Teja, Parvathipuram Manyam District Collector A Shyam Prasad, and SP Madhav Reddy.