A controversial attempt to construct a government-funded house by encroaching on a public road has sparked outrage in the Haldarpada area of Krishnaganj, Nadia. Gopal Sarkar, a local TMC worker, has been accused of forcefully building his ‘Bangla Abas Yojana’ house on a government road, despite being allotted a specific plot of land under the Patta scheme.

The issue escalated when Parimal Biswas, a local resident, filed a written complaint with Bijli Sarkar, the Pradhan of the BJP-led Shibnivas Gram Panchayat. Although the Panchayat formally instructed Gopal to restrict his construction to his allotted one-decimal plot, he allegedly resumed work on the road this Sunday, taking advantage of the office holiday. Krishna Ganj Police rushed to the spot following a fresh complaint and ordered an immediate halt to the illegal construction.

Local villagers have submitted a mass petition, claiming that Gopal’s political affiliations emboldened him to seize the public thoroughfare. While local TMC leaders attempted to downplay the incident, BJP leaders and the Panchayat Pradhan have vowed to protect the public’s right of way. The matter has now been escalated to the BL&LRO for administrative intervention.