Villagers Block Road Near Jahangira Over Water Crisis; Traffic Paralyzed for Two and a Half Hours
Sultanganj (Bhagalpur): Sunday proved to be an arduous day for commuters on NH-80 near Sultanganj in the Bhagalpur district. Local villagers, frustrated by a severe drinking water crisis, staged a protest by blocking the road near Jahangira, leading to long queues of vehicles. The disruption, which lasted for approximately two and a half hours, brought traffic to a complete standstill, leaving hundreds of travelers stranded in the scorching heat.
What Was the Issue?
According to reports, residents of Jahangira village have been battling a severe shortage of drinking water for several days. The villagers allege that despite the failure of the 'Nal-Jal' (tap water) scheme and other local water sources, the concerned department and the local administration have shown total indifference. After repeated appeals yielded no results, the agitated villagers decided to express their protest by blocking NH-80 on Sunday morning.
Commuters Suffer for Two and a Half Hours
As news of the blockade spread, long lines of vehicles formed on both sides of NH-80. Passengers traveling between Sultanganj, Munger, and Bhagalpur were left stranded in the middle of the road. Among those stuck were women, children, and the elderly, who faced immense hardship due to the sweltering heat. The situation became even more critical as emergency vehicles, such as ambulances, were caught in the congestion. The volume of traffic was so high that it caused massive spillover pressure on adjacent link roads as well.
Road Cleared After Administrative Intervention
Upon receiving news of the blockade, Sultanganj police and administrative officials arrived at the scene. Initially, the anger of the villagers was at its peak, and they were reluctant to engage with any officials. The protesters demanded that they would not vacate the road until they received a written assurance for the restoration of water supply and the immediate deployment of water tankers.
Eventually, the Block Development Officer (BDO) and police officials reached the spot and held negotiations with the villagers. The officials assured them that the technical faults would be rectified and water supply restored within the next 24 hours. Following this assurance, the villagers ended their protest, and traffic slowly began to normalize after a delay of nearly two and a half hours.
Villagers Issue a Warning
The protesting villagers stated that it is highly unfortunate that they have to repeatedly resort to taking to the streets for a basic necessity like drinking water. They have warned that if the administration's assurance remains confined to paperwork, they will be compelled to launch a much larger protest in the coming days.
Questions Over Traffic Management
This is not the first time such a situation has arisen on NH-80. Local residents note that traffic pressure is already high due to the ongoing construction of the Sultanganj-Aguwani Ganga Bridge project and preparations for the upcoming Shravani Mela. In such a scenario, any form of protest causes the entire traffic system to crumble, escalating the difficulties for the common public.
