Jitan Ram Manjhi

Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi will visit his native village Mahakar, around 35km northeast of the Gaya district headquarters, on May 28. The same day, he will visit Gehlaur, the native village of “Mountain Man” Dashra- th Manjhi.

Gaya district magistrate (DM) Balamurugan D. announced the chief minister’s itinerary for his village visit but at the same time, he said that the administration was yet to get the official programme.

The DM on Sunday visited Mahakar and also Gehlaur. Manjhi will gift Gehlaur connectivity with the Gramin Jalapurti Yojana (rural water supply scheme) and also inaugurate the additional primary health centre there. He would also offer obeisance at the samadhi (tomb) of the “Mountain Man” apart from visiting his house. While visiting Mahakar, the DM directed that a plot be earmarked for construction of the additional primary health centre and construction of a stage in the village.

Although security has been tightened around Manjhi’s ancestral house, villagers are excited to welcome their own mukhyamantriji (chief minister). Arvind Singh, a villager, said earlier, the programme was fixed for May 30. “We got to know on Saturday evening that the chief minister will visit Mahakar on May 28. The villagers are eagerly waiting for the visit. Another villager, Mrityunjaya Kumar, said: “On May 28, villagers of all age groups will dress up in clean clothes to greet their own leader.”

A doorframe metal detector has been installed at Manjhi’s ancestral house. At least eight armed commandos of the district police apart from two havildars and a jamadar have been deployed at the house. The village is getting a facelift after Manjhi became chief minister. A fresh coat of paint has been on the school building in the village. Work is in progress on the main road leading to Mahakar and other link roads are also being repaired and widened.

There is also a possibility that Sarbahda police outpost could be upgraded into a police station. Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Nishant Kumar Tiwary held a meeting with public representatives and other people of the area on Saturday. People complained that they have to go to Khisersarai police station to lodge complaints. The SSP said the state government had recently granted permission to open three police stations in the district. After a study of the area around Sarbahda police outpost, steps will be initiated to upgrade it into a police station.

The road of Godawari Mohalla has also become special from a common thoroughfare. On the Gaya SSP’s directive, barriers have been placed on the road and the entry of heavy vehicles banned. Earlier, heavy vehicles from Gaya-Bodhgaya bypass near Maranpur entered the township via Shahmir Takya, Rajendra Ashram and GB Road. Now, all such vehicles are being diverted to the outer circle of the township.