Despite declarations about transforming the Palghar district into the 'Fourth Mumbai' and implementing major projects such as the Mumbai-Vadodara expressway and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed train, residents of Vadhiv village in Palghar face serious problems. More than four thousand rural residents are struggling for a safe road, as they have to cross railway tracks to leave the village. This situation has become particularly critical for schoolchildren, who have to risk their lives daily to get to school and return home.
Residents claim that the route via the railway bridge and tracks is unsafe. Nevertheless, they have no other simple and safe route to leave the village. Vadhiv student Sohail Chaudhary filmed a video capturing students and residents crossing the railway tracks and bridge. This video went viral on social media, once again raising the issue of the long-standing lack of a road in the village.
Footage from the viral video demonstrates the state of affairs in the village: schoolchildren cross the railway tracks, and residents use this route for daily needs. This path has become a daily struggle for them. After the video appeared, the Aaj Tak team visited Vadhiv village and conducted an investigation, speaking with students, parents, and local residents about their problems related to the road and safe passage.
The main problem for the residents is the absence of a safe road to the village. This problem is especially acute for schoolchildren, as they travel this route daily. Residents note that it is not only children who suffer; in emergencies, people have to cross the railway tracks, for example, to take a sick person to the hospital while carrying them.
This picture is the daily reality for the villagers. On one hand, there are statements about developing Palghar as the 'Fourth Mumbai,' and on the other, more than four thousand people in the village continue to fight for a safe road. Residents demand the construction of a permanent road and the creation of a safe bridge or an alternative route across the Vaitarna creek to ensure direct access for ambulances and other emergency services.
Residents and students state that they need not just promises, but a real, safe road. They insist that this long-standing problem must be solved definitively so that children do not have to cross the railway line on their way to school, and patients do not face similar difficulties. The video made by student Sohail Chaudhary has once again drawn attention to this issue, causing public outcry.
Residents have clearly stated their position: they need the road itself, not support. They warned that if the road is not built this time, they will abstain from voting. The situation in Vadhiv village raises a serious question about the basic level of infrastructure against the backdrop of claims of colossal investments in the development of the district.
The difficulties faced by students crossing railway tracks and the necessity of transporting patients in emergencies highlight the seriousness of the problem. Now, residents demand the construction of a safe bridge or an alternative route across the Vaitarna creek, connecting the village with a permanent road and ensuring direct access for ambulances. Residents believe that the solution to the long-standing problem should be implemented through the construction of a paved road, not just through promises.