The proposed road to connect Raiganj, the district headquarters of North Dinajpur, with Barsoi in the Katihar district of Bihar, has been a recurring electoral issue for nearly 25 years.
Political parties across the spectrum — the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the CPM and the BJP — have broached the topic ahead of Assembly, Lok Sabha, and panchayat elections.
However, this time, the issue has taken on a new dimension, with all major parties claiming credit for making significant progress toward the road’s construction.
Even two-and-a-half decades after the demand was raised, residents of Raiganj and surrounding areas need to travel more than double the distance to reach the Barsoi railway junction.
Since Barsoi lies on a major Northeast Frontier Railway route, it offers connectivity to cities like Delhi, Calcutta, and various parts of south India and the Northeast.
At the same time, nearly 25 villages around Barsoi depend on Raiganj as their nearest urban centre for trade, healthcare, and other essential services. This has long strengthened the demand for a direct road connecting Barsoi and Raiganj.
Administrative sources said there is an existing 9km-long road from Raiganj to Bahin via Subhaganj, crossing the Kulik river. This portion has been upgraded under the central government’s rural road development scheme with the construction of a concrete bridge over the Kulik.
Beyond Bahin lies the Nagar, another river, which marks the boundary with Bihar. While roads exist from there to Barsoi, the absence of a bridge over the Nagar at Bahin forces people to rely on a temporary bamboo bridge.
Although the Bihar government later constructed a permanent bridge over the Ganjan river on its side, the lack of a bridge at Bahin continues to disrupt connectivity.
As a result, people from Raiganj are compelled to take a detour via Tungidighi and Balrampur in Bihar, covering nearly 43km — more than double the direct distance — to reach Barsoi.
Also, as no bus service is available on this route, many are forced to hire vehicles at a cost running into thousands of rupees.
The other alternative is to travel to Malda, located 80km away.
“If the bridge is built, the distance will reduce to around 21km between Raiganj and Barsoi, and people can easily access the railway station. As of now, we use a temporary bamboo bridge,” said Saharat Ali, a resident of Bahin.
He said the bamboo bridge had to be removed during the monsoon and people needed to depend on boats.
“In the evening, even the boat service stops. Time and again, we have demanded a permanent bridge, but despite repeated promises before every election, nothing has been done in 25 years,” he added.
Ashok Roy, a resident of Raiganj town, shared his difficulties.
“I have to take my father to Delhi frequently for heart
treatment. There are multiple trains from Barsoi, but there’s no proper road for such a short distance. We either wait for three to four hours after reaching there by local train or have to shell out around ₹2,000 to hire a vehicle and reach Barsoi via the
longer route.”
The North Dinajpur district CPM leadership claimed that it repeatedly appealed to the state government to construct the road, but progress stalled after a change in the regime.
Krishna Kalyani, the sitting MLA of Raiganj and the Trinamool candidate, said that after he had been elected, he took the initiative to build the road and the bridge.
“The chief minister has sanctioned ₹10 crore from the north Bengal development department for the project. Also, through the district magistrate, discussions have also begun with the Bihar government. If elected, I will ensure the work is completed at the earliest,” he said.
Kartick Chandra Paul, the BJP MP of Raiganj, alleged that both the Left and Trinamool governments had long used the issue to mislead voters.
“After becoming an MP, I approached the central government. Recently, the National Highways Authority of India decided to construct a new highway from Morgram through Jharkhand and Bihar to Kishanganj via Barsoi. I requested that the Raiganj–Barsoi road be included as an annexure to this project. It is now under NHAI, and ₹1.84 crore has been sanctioned to prepare the detailed project report. The long-pending demand of Raiganj residents will soon be fulfilled,” he said.
Representatives of the business fraternity in Raiganj welcomed the initiative but also sounded sceptical.
“We have been demanding this road and bridge for years, as it will significantly improve connectivity and boost Raiganj’s local economy. While we welcome its inclusion in the new national highway project, repeated unfulfilled promises have made us sceptical. We will believe it only when the project is completed,” Shankar Kundu, general secretary of the West Dinajpur Chamber of Commerce, said.