Villagers call off stir over road repair

Abohar, July 31

Villagers protesting at the Suratgarh-Anoopgarh road in Sriganganagar, 60 km from here, today called off their stir after the district officials assured them that the repairing of the road would start in a week.

Many political parties, including the Congress, and farmers’ organisations supported the villagers’ dharna that began yesterday.

CPM district secretary Shyopat Rai Meghwal said, “We will launch a ‘rail roko’ movement, if our demand is not fulfilled till August 6.”

Rajasthan Minister for Public Works and Roads Yunus Khan, in a statement, said Union Minister for Roads and Transport Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje would soon launch ‘reconstruction’ of the road, which had been upgraded as a state highway. A private firm, under the supervision of the Border Roads Organisation, would initiate the repair and reconstruction work, he said. — OC