A road to prosperity

■ 1.01-kilometre tar road

■ Built at a cost of Rs 87.19 lakh

■ Connecting the tribal hamlets of Lakkavaram and Cheedigonda

■ 183 tribal residents life made easy

KIRANMAI TUTIKA | AMARAVATI

In a remote corner of Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district, a 1.01-kilometre tar road is changing lives. Connecting the tribal hamlets of Lakkavaram and Cheedigonda, the newly completed stretch has become a symbol of long-overdue access and inclusion for 183 tribal residents.

Built at a cost of ₹87.19 lakh, the road was developed under the Central Government’s Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (#PMJANMAN)—a flagship initiative aimed at empowering India’s tribal and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) through focused development.

For the villagers, this road means more than just easier travel. “We used to walk for hours through forest trails just to reach a school, a health centre, or a market,” said Ramulu, a resident of Cheedigonda. “Now, ambulances and ration trucks can reach us. It’s life-changing.”

The initiative reflects the government's focus on “last-mile delivery” in tribal regions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on tribal welfare through #PMJANMAN has accelerated infrastructure development in underserved communities. In Andhra Pradesh, the Centre’s efforts are being reinforced by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s ₹1,000-crore Adavi Thalli Baata scheme, aimed at improving roads, education, and healthcare in tribal areas.

“We had to navigate dense forests and unpredictable terrain to complete this project,” said Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “But our goal was clear—no village should remain cut off.” The project was executed by the state’s Rural Development Department and highlights the growing push to deliver tangible benefits to tribal areas.

Now, where there were once only forest paths, children ride bicycles freely under the midday sun, and elders speak of a renewed sense of connection with the world beyond their hills. For this quiet community, the road ahead—finally—looks open.