SANGUEM, March 23 -- Barely four days before the code of conduct would come into effect, the foundation stone to construct a road to the Kazugotto ward of Kavrem village was laid. Villagers have been demanding this for over 10 years without any response.

The cries of the largely tribal inhabitants of this village fell on deaf ears for the last more than a decade. The road construction has been tendered for a whopping Rs. 5.71 crore which could have been constructed for a far lower cost if it was done 10 years back.

In the absence of the road, the villagers had to walk quite a distance to the nearby village to board a bus. Students and officegoers had to suffer this ordeal every day while the senior citizens were not spared whenever they...