The road was a National Highway (No 202) and unlike other highways, was a narrow road in a real bad shape. At places, the macadam surface is missing completely and the rains had rendered the road muddy and slushy. However, post Konta at the AP-Chattisgarh border, the scenery began to change rapidly into a thick and lush jungle to make up for the bad road. Since this was our first trip into this territory and after the monsoon, I am not sure if the greenery sustains itself during summer.

The route was patronized well despite the bad state of the road. We had a steady company of loaded trucks, buses, jeeps, off-roaders, auto rickshaws and tractors. One common thing throughout the trip were cows and goats. Somehow, we saw more cows, goats, dogs and chicken than human beings. All of them in the middle of the road in groups, blocking the road at will. These animals found the road to be the only warm and dry spot they coud afford and stuck there despite all the traffic.

Barring the animals, the next most common sight were police! Chattisgarh has recruited an entire army of para-military forces to check the Maoist (Naxalite) menace. Special Group and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) cops manned the checkposts in every village. There were fortified barracks next to the checkposts at every village. Each of these barracks were sand bagged and protected with a three layer wood-and-wirelink fence. All the cops bore sub machine guns in their hands that looked as if their safety locks were removed. We were checked (frisked) at a couple of villages. Some of the cops who frisked us appeared quite young and appeared to be illiterate. Their casual dress, a mix of battle fatigues and rural lungis caught our attention. They were not as thorough and professional as the AP Greyhounds who were quite professional and intimidating (though we felt intimidated, we were glad they were around!). There was no point in querying them about the route. Their answers ranged from indifferent smirks to incomprehensible banter. We kept wondering how the state could think of combating the resourceful Maoists with such misfits.

Rural folks were somehow subdued and resigned to the presence of cops in their village. We saw a lot of signposts extolling the virtues of conserving the forest wealth and the environment. there were sincere appeals to send kids to school, keep the village clean or unite against Maoism. I had noticed many schools in this absolutely backward area. We had expected a complete backwater road with absolute bacwardness and poverty. The the poverty and backwardness was there to see, we also witnessed the earnestness of the Chattisgarh government in reaching out to these firnge villages. In the past all these were under Madhya Pradesh and practically ignored. The bifurcation of the state has been a poignant move.

About the Author:

The Author is an expert writer for various travel writing such as JetAirways, Jet konnect and jet airways konnect.

Author: Shoren Shaer