Residents of Sukna Basti in Jamshedpur West Build Bamboo Bridge; Demand for Development Unmet
Jamshedpur’s Sukna Basti residents announce vote boycott over unfulfilled development promises; they take the initiative to build a bamboo bridge after government fails to act.
JAMSHEDPUR – The people of Sukna Basti in Jamshedpur West Assembly are disillusioned with both the government and the government machinery, resulting in their announcement to boycott votes in all upcoming elections.
The frustration of the residents is palpable as they assert that without development, there will be no votes.
The underlying cause of this discontent can be traced back to a specific unfulfilled promise.
In 2017, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone for a bridge connecting Baliguma to Sukhna Basti from NH-33 in Jamshedpur West Assembly Constituency.
The bridge was to be constructed under the Mukhyamantri Gram Setu Yojana, and the local MLA at the time was Saryu Roy.
However, since the end of the so-called double engine government, the bridge of development has collapsed, with the plan remaining unexecuted to this day.
This unmet promise has provoked the area’s residents to declare their intention to boycott voting.
Further highlighting the residents’ determination, they have begun constructing a bamboo bridge through collective volunteer work, or "shramdaan," to ensure uninterrupted commuting.
The self-initiated move underscores the residents’ dissatisfaction with the pace of development in 23-year-old Jharkhand, a state governed by a proclaimed hardworking administration.
Additionally, the present MLA of Jamshedpur West is State Health and Disaster Management Minister Banna Gupta, which makes the neglect of Sukna Basti’s residents all the more puzzling.
Now, all eyes are on whether the slum dwellers will follow through with their vote boycott in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections or whether the government and its machinery will finally fulfill their demands.
