Road expansion leaves Bhaukhedi families homeless, awaiting justice

The old panchayat building in Bhaukhedi village is now home to Suresh Jain and his family. For the past two years, Suresh, his wife, and their two daughters have been living in a crumbling former government office (Panchayat Bhawan) after losing their house during a road-widening project in the village.

The family once lived in a three-room house near the Jain temple on the village's main road. Their home, built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana—a government scheme providing financial support to the homeless for building houses. However, in 2023, their lives were changed when the road expansion project claimed their house as an encroachment. Today, while Bhaukhedi boasts a new double-lane roadway, the Jains are left homeless. 

It's been two years  since Bhaukhedi, a village 21 km from Sehore town in Madhya Pradesh, got wide roads. In February 2023, 120 trees were cut, and 165 houses were partially demolished in this road widening project. People who once had two or three rooms in their homes now have only one room left, and many are still homeless. Like the Jains There were 12 other houses that were demolished, out of which eight homes were built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

The 17.85-km-long road from Bhaukhedi to Amlaha was earlier single-lane. Widening (double lanes) was done with the aim of providing better road connectivity to the villagers for the future, improving their lives, and opening new means of livelihood.

Two years later, families who lost their homes are still waiting for the resettlement. Those who lost their shops have been unable to find new employment, leaving many struggling to make ends meet. Affected families question whether the road project has improved life in the village or pushed them further into poverty.

Now part of the state road network, the newly expanded road has become a popular route for commuters. However, the constant movement of heavy vehicles, such as sand dumpers, has heightened villagers' fears of road accidents, adding to their worries.

Resettlement plan only on paper

The village road, officially named the Bhaukhedi-Dhamanda-Amlaha 2-lane road, was constructed under a public-private partnership (PPP) involving the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). A resettlement plan was outlined to address the displacement of people affected by the project. 

Prepared by MPRDC for ADB, the plan mentioned: "According to the population survey, of the 12 families who lost their property due to this sub-project, 2 families lost their houses, 7 families lost their commercial structures, and 3 families lost other private structures, such as boundary walls or portions of houses. The impact on the 2 residential structures is significant enough to require relocation."

Suresh Jain's family is one of the two households identified for relocation, yet they are still waiting for their promised new home.

"When our house was demolished, we had nowhere to go. In such a situation, we were forced to take shelter in the vacant old panchayat building. Where else could I take my wife and children?" Suresh asks with a mix of frustration and helplessness. 

The old panchayat building, where Suresh now lives with his family, is in a state of disrepair and has been lying vacant since the construction of a new panchayat office. In one room, Suresh has arranged kitchen items, his daughters’ school books, and bedding. The other room is filled with the remaining household belongings, creating a makeshift and challenging living arrangement.

Next to the building, the family has improvised a bathing area exposed to the rain. Their toilet, too, is in poor condition. 

 Suresh's wife says,

"There are so many problems here. I'm scared to use the bathroom at night, but we have no choice but to stay until we get our own house."

According to the compensation policy outlined by the ADB, if a residential property is lost due to a project and the family is displaced, the affected family is entitled to a 60-day notice and a compensation of ₹50,000 in a single installment—even if the family does not own the land and is living there illegally. Suresh shares that, "But we didn’t receive any money."

India's Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013 also mandates that landowners and other affected families be adequately compensated through a transparent and informed process with minimal hassle. The Act ensures consultation with local self-governments and Gram Sabhas during land acquisition for infrastructure development. It also requires adequate provisions for the rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced families, aiming to make them partners in development and to improve their social and economic conditions.

However, the Jain family received no financial assistance, no rehabilitation, and no efforts were made to improve their living conditions or economic stability.

New problems

The new road has brought new challenges, with reckless driving and the increasing risk of accidents becoming major concerns for the villagers.

Fifty-five-year-old farmer Ram Kripal observes,

"This road wasn’t built for us; it’s for the sand traders. Ever since it opened, sand-laden dumpers and heavy vehicles have been speeding recklessly on it."

Sitting beside him, 62-year-old Ghanshyam, dressed in a crisp white dhoti-kurta and Gandhi topi, adds angrily, "These trucks have made our lives miserable. We can’t let our cattle roam freely, and even walking on the road has become dangerous."

The villagers' fears deepened after a tragic accident. On November 25, 2024, at around 5 a.m., 60-year-old farmer Babulal Verma was returning home on his motorcycle after irrigating his field. To avoid a speeding dumper coming from the opposite direction, he veered off the road. In the darkness, he collided with a parked JCB and died on the spot. 

Babulal was the sole earning member of his family. He leaves behind his aged mother, wife, and three daughters, who have no one to support them anymore.

Babulal's daughter shows us her dead father’s picture and says,

"We were all at home that day, Papa had gone to irrigate the field, we don't know what happened to him there. Villagers informed police about the incident."

The constant movement of heavy vehicles has disrupted the lives of Bhaukhedi residents. "Speeding sand dumpers run day and night," says 35-year-old Rekha, a local resident. "We have to be extra cautious and keep our children away from the road because of the speeding vehicles. Cattle are also being hit by these dumpers almost every other day," she adds.

The impact assessment report prepared by the MPRDC mentions that "the proposed two-lane road is likely to be a safety concern for women and children and will increase the risk of accidents. To avoid this, appropriate road safety measures have been incorporated in the design of the sub-project. Special measures like signage and speed breakers in schools, hospitals, and markets will be taken by the sub-project."

Despite what the report claimed on paper, the reality on the ground was different. There was only a signboard on the road outside the village, with no speed limit signs or speed breakers at the curve within the village.

Sand dumpers love the new road

The sand mines in Rehti Tehsil of Sehore district supply Narmada river sand to various parts of the state. Before the construction of the new road, sand dumpers travelled towards Indore via Ichhawar-Sehore after loading sand from Rehti. However, with the completion of the Bhaukhedi road, these dumpers can now bypass Sehore and reach Indore through Amlaha. This route shortens their journey by at least 50 kilometres and allows them to avoid the toll plaza between Sehore and Amlaha.

When reports about the increasing movement of sand trucks on the Bhaukhedi road reached State Revenue Minister Karan Singh Verma, he directed strict action during a meeting held at the Sehore Zila Panchayat on January 29, 2024. Interestingly, the minister himself is a resident of Jamonia Hatesingh village, located along the same road.

On January 31, 2024, the Revenue Department took swift action and installed an informational board on the road stating: "Movement of sand dumpers from Gram Bhaukhedi to Amlaha road is prohibited. Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue), as per the order."

However, the notice appears to have little effect in deterring the speeding sand trucks. During a ground report conducted on December 3, 2024, the team observed the situation in Bhaukhedi village between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Within just 15 minutes, seven sand dumpers were seen speeding along the route. These trucks not only violated the restriction but also left a trail of dust and sand, causing further inconvenience to the villagers.

Talking about the problems caused by dust from dumpers, Rekha says, "Now half of the time is spent in cleaning the house." Many villagers have kept plastic sheets outside their houses to avoid dust flying from the road. 

Hope for a better future

Gulab Singh, who runs an FPO (Farmers Produce Organisation) with the help of ITC in Bhaukhedi, has spent a long time in this village; he is 62 years old, and he is extremely happy with the construction of the road in the village.

"This road has opened up new employment opportunities for our village. After some time, people will start to see its benefits."

However, Gulab Singh is also saddened by the accidents on the road; he says, "The government should also make arrangements for the safety of the people here; safety barricades can be installed around the road. Also, if street lights are installed on both sides of the road, people will feel safe even at night."

In its report prepared for the ADB, the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC) highlights the benefits of road widening, claiming it will provide safe and convenient transportation for villagers, ultimately reducing road accidents. However, reality tells a different story. How can a road passing through a rural area, where heavy vehicles speed day and night, be considered safe—especially when there are no protective barriers or streetlights in place? The situation raises serious concerns about the practical implementation of these promises.

Meanwhile, Bhaukhedi village grapples with the challenges posed by the widened road, but its story is just one of many. Across India, countless villages face similar struggles as four-lane highways, six-lane roads, and motorways cut through their lands, displacing thousands.

The pressing question remains: if impact assessments, social security monitoring, and resettlement plans are meticulously outlined on paper, why are they so poorly implemented on the ground?

From his makeshift home in the dilapidated panchayat office, Suresh Jain speaks with a sense of hopelessness, exhausted from pleading with ministers, officials, and politicians for rehabilitation. “During the state elections in November 2023, officials assured us we’d be provided housing under the PM’s scheme,” he recalls. “Many leaders came with promises, but for the past two years, all we’ve received are empty assurances.”

Babulal Verma's elder daughter echoes a similar grief. The family has been running from pillar to post, seeking compensation after their father’s tragic road accident. “We haven’t received any accident insurance or compensation,” she shares. “We’ve filed a case against the JCB driver from Mogra village. Those responsible for our father’s death should be held accountable.”

Roads are being built across the country to improve trade and communication, fostering societal development. Many rural roads are being widened, but the villagers, unaccustomed to living near high-speed highways, now face new dangers. The roads that once allowed their cattle to move safely are now being hit by speeding vehicles. The absence of safety measures only heightens the risk of accidents. To address this, it is essential to construct service roads, install street lights, create footpaths, and put up protective barriers. Moreover, regular rehabilitation should be provided to villagers who have lost their homes due to road widening, ensuring they can live with dignity. 

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