Uttar Nibra under Salap Gram Panchayat II is getting a much-needed facelift. Although the area was, at one time, wilderness with little human habitation, in the past few years, specially after the development of the National Highway 6, it has become home to several families. Daspara and Sardarpara are two important places where a number of settlements have come up over the years, but the development of infrastructure has not happened at the same pace. 

Narrow dirt roads linked the areas to main roads like Howrah-Amta Road and NH6. However, these roads were not fit for use. In the past month and half, the local panchayat samity, with help from irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee, has managed to build a 700m concrete road from Daspara to Natunpara and another 200m from Sardarpara to Kaliaphatak. The panchayat samity has also built a 450m long drain in Uttar Nibra. 

The new roads are the lifeline for the residents of these areas, most of whom had to walk a long distance to reach the main road near Katliya to catch a bus to Howrah or get to Howrah-Amta Road from where they can reach Jagatballavpur, Amta, Domjur, Salap, Bankra, Dasnagar and other places. “There was an urgent need for a proper road in this area. We had to walk a long distance from our houses to reach our destinations, but now we can do that on trekker and vans,” said Arjun Kumar Das, a doctor of alternative medicine, who practises in Salap. 

A resident of Daspara, Arjun would have to walk more than two kilometers everyday before he could get a bus to his chamber at Salap. “There is a huge pond, Jorapukur, between Daspara and Natunpara. The banks of the pond had become loose and would often break under the weight of people walking on the road above it. Many people have fallen into the pond and have got injured. The road was not fit for walking or even a cycle to pass,” said Arjun. 

The road has been repaired and concretised to prevent accidents. Since it has been widened, vehicles can easily pass. “Daspara is home to over 70 families. If anyone fell ill, we could not bring an ambulance into the neighbourhood. We would have to carry the person on shoulders up to the main road and then put him or her into an ambulance. However, that problem is now solved as the road is wide enough for an ambulance to enter. This route is also linked to Howrah-Amta Road that can help in reaching Howrah General Hospital or Domjur ESI hospital faster,” said Arjun. The waterlogging problem has also been solved as the road is now higher than the ground level and water from Jorapukur cannot overflow into it. 

Residents of Sardarpara in Uttar Nibra had also been suffering for a long time as a high drain in their area spills over after heavy rains. The height of the new road from Sardarpara to Kaliaphatak has been increased to prevent waterlogging. However, some more roads in this area also need to be made for better transportation. “There are other link roads to Howrah-Amta Road and NH6 which also need to be made,” said Saquib Anwar, a resident of Sardarpara. 

“MLA Rajib Banerjee sanctioned Rs 50 lakhs for the project. Further work will be carried out when more funds are sanctioned,” said Dipak Mukherjee, the karmadhyaksha of Salap II gram panchayat samity.