Paper: GS – III, Subject: Internal Security, Topic: Left Wing Extremism, Issue: Infrastructure building in LWE affected areas.
Context:
In India’s tribal hinterlands, especially Maoist-affected “Red Corridor” (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha), roads are more than transport—they symbolize state presence, governance, and legitimacy. Road infrastructure in conflict zones is linked with peace-building, development, and security.
Key Highlights:
Importance of Roads in Conflict Zones:
Challenges in Absence of Roads:
- Vacuum filled by insurgents: Maoists often run informal courts, levy “taxes”, and offer rudimentary governance.
- Extra-governmental control: Insurgents provide “services” such as justice, conflict resolution but lack constitutional safeguards. Justice becomes arbitrary, opaque, and punitive.
- Kangaroo courts (Jan Adalats): Issue punishments without due process.
- Healthcare problem: Insurgents sometimes supply medical aid where state is absent diluting the legitimacy of the state.
Beyond Road Development:
- Roads not backed by institutional safeguards may become mere instruments of state control rather than justice delivery.
- Without accountability, infrastructure risks turning into symbols of coercion.
- For examples, Khap Panchayats & caste councils show how informal institutions can also exclude and oppress.
Safeguards Needed:
Way Forward:
- Holistic State Presence: Infrastructure + social services + justice = sustainable governance.
- Pluralistic Governance: Integrate constitutional values with community voices.
- Legitimacy Building: Ensure infrastructure delivers equity, opportunity, and dignity to people, not just security.
- Strategic Priority: In Maoist-affected states, roads should be seen as peace infrastructure, reclaiming governance space and reducing insurgency.
Conclusion:
Roads are not merely concrete pathways they are pathways to peace, legitimacy, and justice. For long-term stability, building roads must go hand-in-hand with institutional safeguards and inclusive governance, ensuring development is seen, felt, and trusted by people.
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/to-build-roads-is-to-build-peace/article70034642.ece
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