Chhattisgarh: This Abujhmarh village market reopens after 3 decades, displaced tribals returning home see dawn of development

RAIPUR: A weekly market, closed for 30 years due to the threat of Naxal activities in Garpa village of Abujhmarh in Narayanpur district, was reopened. The market is now buzzing with local families who were forcibly displaced and are now back.

With the recent establishment of security camps and the construction of a new road, villagers find it easy to access the market. "Weekly Haat Bazar, melas (fairs) are the centre and backbone of Abujhmarh tribal cultural and economic activities. This Garpa market, located on the ancient Sonpur-Bethia road, restarted after three decades on November 28. The road was constructed only a month back, following which the Narayanpur-Garpa bus service started," Narayanpur SP Prabhat Kumar told TOI.

The brightness of the Abujhmarh region, which went dim in past several decades of Maoist violence, is again coming back to life with persistent efforts by Narayanpur police, security forces, administration, and local people. The reopening of the market has reignited the traditional ‘Haat-Bazaar’ and ‘Madai-Mela’ culture in the region, which was once a thriving aspect of village life. The market now provides villagers with easy access to essential goods, eliminating the need to travel all the way to the district headquarters of Narayanpur or other distant areas.

SP Kumar said, "This is expected to save time and ensure that people have easier access to daily necessities right in their own village."

"For several years, the Garpa market remained closed as Naxalites intimidated local villagers and traders, forcing them to shut it down. The reopening of the market is now seen as a major step toward restoring normalcy and reviving indigenous traditions in the area. With the market back in operation, villagers are experiencing a newfound sense of happiness and comfort," SP Prabhat Kumar said, adding that villagers still remember it as the Monday market of Garpa, though it will be operating on Thursdays from now on.

Kumar added that the region had active roads till the 1990s that were lost to Naxalism and are now getting rebuilt, while the buses have started plying from Narayanpur to Garpa, 50 km every day. The administration and police have proposed to make this journey free for all Abujhmarh’s tribal people from December 1.

According to Narayanpur Zila Panchayat CEO Vasu Jain, around 70 families of Garpa village were forcibly displaced due to conflict amongst villagers and Naxal dominance, but now, they have returned after they saw the dawn of development in the region.

"With the establishment of a police public service and security camp in Garpa, Narayanpur district administration, along with district police’s efforts, has also undertaken significant infrastructural improvements. A long-closed road, which connects the district headquarters to Kondagaon and passes through Sonpur to Sitaram, has been repaired. This road was shut for over 30 years due to Naxal violence, but with the new road construction, public bus services have resumed, enabling the local population to travel to Narayanpur and other nearby areas more easily. Both passenger buses and private vehicles are now operating on this route," the IAS officer Vasu Jain said.

The combination of development initiatives and counter-Naxal campaigns has led to a gradual reduction in the influence of insurgents in the region. The villagers, once isolated and fearful, are now seeing the tangible benefits of development, with more projects and services reaching them. With this progress, demand for further development is increasing, and local authorities are working to extend road construction and other essential projects to more inaccessible areas in the near future.

This significant step towards revitalising Garpa and other remote villages in the Abujhmarh region is a testament to the transformative power of community efforts, police action, and govt support in bringing peace and progress to previously neglected areas.