The worst insurgency-hit Bijapur district is witnessing a major transformational change amid efforts to eliminate Naxalism as the Chhattisgarh government has introduced a bus service covering seven panchayats, including the state's last village Pamed.
The development comes as a significant step towards the rapid development of Bijapur, a region which is marred with Naxal activities and often hit headlines for reasons like IED blasts, encounters and ambushes.
As a result of the ongoing endeavour to connect Bijapur with mainstream development, the officials said, the government has started a bus service covering seven panchayats, including Pamed, which has witnessed numerous naxal incidents in the past.
Pamed: Falls in Bijapur, reached through Telangana
Notably, Pamed was inaccessible from the Bijapur till now, and one had to travel via Telangana to reach the village, the officials added, adding that after nearly 50 years, the passenger bus service has been started in the area.
Providing information about the development work in the Naxal-affected area, the officials further said that in the last four months, development work has progressed at such a pace that roads, camps, and basic amenities have been expanded in the area.
As per the officials, some 50 years ago, there was a road in the region. However, vehicles did not operate. Gradually, the Naxals gained a stronghold in the area and took control of the entire region. Now, the region has become part of the government's major projects.
Camps have been set up here along with the expansion of roads and other basic amenities for the local population.
On bus service, Bijapur Collector Sambit Mishra said, "It's a matter of great happiness that Pamed, the last village of the district, was inaccessible inside from Bijapur. Earlier, it cost around 200 kilometres more to reach Pamed via Telangana. Due to camps of the security forces recently opened, Pamed is now accessible from Bijapur headquarters for the first time. Major numbers of villages identified under Niyad Nellanaar scheme fall on this route and due to the introduction of public transport facilities, these villages will get connected from Bijapur headquarter for the first time."
(With ANI Inputs)