Waterlogged Dwarika Road Puts Schoolchildren at Risk in Shravasti

A damaged road at the Dwarika village crossroads in Jamunaha, an Aspirational Block in Shravasti, has turned into a major problem for local residents, especially school students and their parents. The road is filled with water and mud, making everyday movement difficult and forcing children to take risks while going to school.

The condition of the road has come to light amid claims of development in Jamunaha block. The Dwarika village crossroads has effectively turned into a pond. Waterlogging and mud have made the route difficult to use, while the poor condition of the road has raised questions about basic facilities in the area.

The road leads towards the Kalkalwa Marginal Embankment and is considered a main route for movement. Water has collected at several points, and deep potholes can be seen across the road. Since these potholes are filled with water, it is difficult for people to judge how deep they are while passing through.

According to local residents, children using the road have slipped several times and suffered injuries. Students and their parents are facing the greatest difficulty because the children have to cross the waterlogged and muddy stretch while travelling to and from school. The situation has become such that children are being forced to reach school every day despite the risk.

The road is said to lie between the Jamunaha Bhawaniyapur and Bargadaha gram panchayats. Local people say the problem has become caught between the two gram panchayats, raising questions about responsibility for the road and the development work needed to fix it.

Residents said that during the tenure of Roma Jaiswal, the former village head of Bargadaha, a drain had been constructed to ensure the flow of wastewater. However, it is alleged that some people filled up the drain in front of their houses. Because of this, the water flow was blocked and the waterlogging problem on the road became more serious.

The blocked drain is being cited by local people as one of the reasons for the water collecting on the road. With the drain no longer allowing water to pass properly, the road remains covered with water and mud, adding to the difficulties faced by people travelling through the area.

A student troubled by the damaged route has appealed to District Magistrate Annapurna Garg. The student has requested “DM ma'am” to ensure that the road problem is resolved soon. She wants the route to be repaired so that children do not have to fear falling and getting injured while going to and returning from school.

Jamunaha block was included in the Government of India’s Aspirational Block Scheme in 2023. Against that backdrop, the condition of the road at the Dwarika village crossroads has raised questions about the availability of basic infrastructure in the block.

The key question now is whether the district administration will take notice of the problem, get the blocked drain opened and take the necessary steps to repair the road. Until that happens, students and other residents may continue to face the same difficulty while making their way through mud and water.