Maharashtra: Another small step towards normalcy in an area previously gripped by Naxal terrorism, first bus service started after independence in Markanar village
Marking a significant feat in the restoration of normalcy in the Markanar village of the Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra, once a Naxal-affected area, a state-run bus service to the village commenced for the first time since independence.
As the first bus arrived in the Markanar village on Wednesday (16th July), villagers cheered and welcomed it by waving the national flag. This was the first time the villagers had seen a bus service arrive in the village in over 7 decades since independence. The bus service started by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will connect the area with the state transport network. According to a police release, about 1200 locals, including students, from Markanar and the nearby villages of Murumbhushi, Phulnar, Koparshi, Poyarkothi and Gundurwahi will benefit from the bus service. Next year, the bus service is expected to reach Murumbhushi.
“We were able to launch the MSRTC bus service after Markanar and the adjoining areas adopted the government’s ‘gaobandi’ scheme, banning entry of Maoists in return for development schemes. Commandos began reclaiming liberated zones and extended protection to road construction and the setting up of mobile phone towers. The rest is history now,” said SDPO Bhamragarh division Amar Mohite.
Mohite said that earlier, the MSRTC bus linked Aheri to Kothi via Bhamragarh, but now, after the construction of a road, the bus will travel another 5 km to Markanar. “Barely 800m are left to link remote Murumbhushi to Markanar. Security forces provided cover to labourers and equipment, but the rains halted work,” the SDPO said.
Markanar village is situated at the foothills of Abujhmad, a former Naxal stronghold, in Bhamragad subdivision of the Gadchiroli district. The bus service, which will run from Markanar to Aheri, is said to have become a reality with the efforts of the local police. The district has struggled with poor connectivity and transport for a long period of time due to the Maoist activities.
Central and State governments working to uproot left-wing terrorism
The central and state governments, along with the security forces, are making collaborative efforts to uproot naxalism and connect naxal-affected areas with the mainstream. Earlier this month, the Maharashtra government introduced a bill titled the Maharashtra Public Security Bill 2024 to curb the spread of the Maoist ideology in the state. While presenting the bill in the state assembly, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said that the Bill is meant to punish those who wish to overthrow the established institutions of the country. Explaining the reasons for the introduction of the Bill, Fadnavis said that the influence of the Maoist ideology is growing in the urban and rural areas of the state, particularly in districts like Gadchiroli and Konkan.
The central government had adopted a multipronged strategy to eliminate the menace of left-wing terrorism, including aggressive military operations and development efforts. The government has also been working towards strengthening security as well as civil infrastructure in the Naxal-affected areas by setting up security camps and enabling development projects.
Last year in January, the central government launched ‘Operation Kagar’ to completely eradicate the left-wing terrorism in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra (Gadchiroli), Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. Under the operation, around 1 lakh para-military troops, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), its elite CoBRA units, District Reserve Guards DRG), and state police, equipped with modern technology, have been deployed in the left-wing terrorism affected areas to completely uproot the naxal terrorism from its last remaining strongholds. The security forces have been successful in eliminating the top leadership of the Naxal cadres under the operation, pushing the left-wing terrorism to the verge of extinction.
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