Bhubaneswar, Nov. 17 -- In Odisha's remote tribal region of Talaburatala under Patrapur block of Ganjam district, residents continue to suffer due to the non-completion of a mere 7-km road, even after eight long years. The villagers, dependent on a rugged, broken forest route, face daily hardship in travel, healthcare access, and basic movement.

Nestled amid hills, forests, and streams, the area's only connecting road was sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana eight years ago, linking Talaburatala to Uparaburatala. However, the project remains stuck, with stretches so dilapidated that it is difficult to identify where work has progressed and where it hasn't.

Villages such as Tadingi, Badua, Dhovalingi, and Kuruguda rely o...