Tribal Communities Stage Horse Rally Demanding Road Infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh
In a powerful display of protest, tribal residents from three remote villages in Andhra Pradesh's Anakapalli district organized a significant 3-kilometer horse rally on Friday. The demonstration was aimed at drawing urgent attention to the complete absence of motorable roads in their communities, which has created severe hardships for daily life and medical emergencies.
Severe Hardships in Remote Tribal Habitations
The villages of Pashuvula Bandha, Jeelugulova and Sompura Bandha continue to face extreme difficulties due to the lack of proper road connectivity. Without any motorable roads, villagers are forced to transport patients in makeshift cloth stretchers known as dolis and carry essential supplies on horses or bullock carts across challenging hilly terrain.
Medical emergencies have proven particularly devastating for these communities. Protestors revealed that locals Seediri Venkatrao and Korra Baburao lost their lives because timely medical assistance could not reach them. During pregnancy complications or serious illnesses, residents must travel over 3 kilometers of difficult terrain in cloth stretchers just to reach the nearest accessible road or healthcare facility.
Failed Promises and Administrative Delays
The tribal communities have submitted multiple representations to the Anakapalli district collector requesting road construction. According to protestors, the public roads department estimated Rs 2.1 crore for constructing a 3-kilometer metal road, but the work has not commenced despite these formal requests.
This administrative inaction has forced villagers to continue depending on traditional methods of transportation. Transporting ration supplies, pension payments and daily essentials remains an extremely challenging task that significantly impacts their quality of life.
Previous Road Projects Left Incomplete
During the first phase of the 'Palle Panduga' program in December 2024, bituminous roads were sanctioned for nearby villages. However, these projects faced multiple setbacks including rain damage and non-payment of bills, leading to complete stoppage of construction work.
This has left the tribal habitations without any usable roads, exacerbating their isolation and limiting access to basic services that other communities take for granted.
Appeal to State Leadership
The protesting villagers have made a direct appeal to Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to intervene in their situation. Their demands include:
- Ensuring immediate road connectivity to their villages
- Clearing all pending bills for previous road projects
- Resuming construction work that has been stalled
The horse rally represents a desperate cry for attention from communities that have been marginalized in infrastructure development. The tribal residents hope their unique protest method will finally bring the necessary political attention to their longstanding transportation challenges and lead to concrete solutions for road connectivity in their remote villages.
