Sambalpur: Electricity has finally reached Aakhadadanda, a tribal village in Rengali block of the district.

Situated on a hill and amidst a forest, the village has a historical connection. It is here that freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai trained to fight against the Britishers.

Sai selected the village because it was covered by thick forest and very hard for people to reach at that time.

Sambalpur collector Samarth Verma visited the village on February 20 along with Rengali MLA Ramesh Phatua and other officials. A medical check-up camp was organised and the officials discussed problems faced by the local villagers.

"This is the first time a collector visited the village since Independence," said Dinabandhu Naik as Sachittananda Naik and Thengu Marai nodded.

The villagers requested the collector to provide electricity connection to the village. Verma assured them within two months, the village would have electricity.

Since it was not possible to bring electricity cables to the village, solar power was proposed and work taken up accordingly. The village has no Anganwadi centre, no primary school and no primary health centre nearby.

The village has historical significance since Surendra Sai used to stay there to supervise the training of youths to fight against Britishers.

The stone boundary wall of the training arena remains to this day.

Verma on Monday visited the village and inaugurated the solar lighting system, much to the surprise of the villagers. They also requested the collector to provide one Anganwadi centre and improve the hilly road to the village. The collector promised to look into their requests.

"We never thought we would be able to witness electricity at our village in our lifetime. We are very happy," said Kalia Kumar, a resident of the village.