Protests continue over widening of Nandprayag Ghat road in Uttarakhand

Chamoli (Uttarakhand) [India], January 23 : People from the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand continued to hold protests, demanding the widening of the Nandprayag Ghat road, adjoining the National Highway-07.
The public, including traders, have been protesting over the issue for 49 days. Thirteen protesters have also gone on a hunger strike, while refusing medical help for their deteriorating health.
"It is over a month since we have been protesting but the government have turned deaf ears to our demands", a protester said.
Another protester added, "The mass movement for one and a-half-lane, i.e. 9-metre widening of Nandprayag Ghat road is still going on. Many of the protesters are on hunger strike for 13 days but the government have not fulfilled our demands yet".
"The food supply, which is being provided to the protesters, is given by traders who are part of the protest as well as the workers of hotel association. We have a very small demand from the government, which is to provide us with one and a half meter wider road. I hope the government will fulfil our demand or the result can be seen during the upcoming elections," says Indresh Maikhuri, a Communist Party of India (CPI) leader.
Leaders of state-level political parties have also started flocking to the Ghat area to support the road movement, while protests led by students' organizations is also garnering support.
Furthermore, a rally is also being organized by women in the area every day to demand one-and-a-half-metre widening of the road.