Tawaghat-Lipulekh Rd work puts locals’ jobs on the line

Pithoragarh: Around 200 families may be directly affected after the completion of Tawaghat-Lipulekh Road by 2020. The construction work is being carried out by Border Roads Organisation and is likely to have an adverse impact on the livelihood of villagers living in Tawaghat and its adjourning areas of Dharchula Tehsil of Pithoragarh.

The primary source of income of villagers in this area is carrying rations and other amenities and materials on their mules and goats to Gunji for the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Sashastra Seema Bal and public distribution warehouses. A 14 km stretch is left for joining Najang and Bundi, and once that is completed, Tawaghat would be connected with Lipulekh. Dev Singh, a resident of Khela village, said, “My father use to carry ration for the army from Tawaghat to Gunji (45 km) as the road in those days was only till Tawaghat. He took a week to reach Gunji. Now, with better road connectivity, people like us will lose our jobs.”

While Vikram Singh, a mule owner who carries ration, added, “We don’t know what we’ll do after the completion of this road. People will start using their vehicles to carry ration and other materials.”

Some villagers carry ration on their mules while others on goats. The mules often carry items till Gunji, to the Indian mart, as part of India-China border trade. More than 200 families are involved in this exercise.

“There is now a road till Najang. So, we reach Gunji in two days,” Dev Singh said, adding, “A lot of people involved in this business have changed their jobs. They have mostly moved to Dharchula, Pithoragarh and other big cities for livelihood. There is no other option.”