The village of widows

 

 

The story of Peddakunta Thanda, also known as the “village of the highway widows” is horrifying. Over 80 people have been killed by fast-moving vehicles while attempting to simply cross the four-lane road. The village is now almost without males (reports claim the oldest surviving male is just over 6 years old) and the widows are now forced to spend their nights in terror. 

 

“Drunks from the nearby villages know there are no men to protect the womenfolk at Peddakunta Thanda. So, during the nights... there are knocks on doors and threats. It’s a nightmare,” says Waddepalli.

 

Her fight against the National Highways Authority in India — to at least build an underground pass to help in the crossings — started recently. “My team and I have been following up, yes. After the PIL from Ashim Avtar Dash (IT professional based out of Hyderabad) we have spent time surveying the village and talking to the women there. It’s unbelievable the deaths are happening in this century. Officials claimed there was a subway already in place but we were able to prove no such thing exists because we travelled to the village,” she says.

 

Waddepalli continues: “It comes down to this. The villagers have to cross this four-lane highway to avail basic services such as schools. Everything lies on the other side. But there’s not even a board there warning motorists about the presence of an entire village of people. And the high-speed traffic never slows down.”

 

It’s a fight she is keen to close. “We are asking for a subway and some sort of compensation to bring these people back on their feet. We cannot just forget this happening. But I’m confident the courts will take action and I really do believe this case will have a positive outcome.”

 

Waddepalli also has friends and family to thank for the support. “We have a Whatsapp group where my friends from school offer support. I studied at Abids and even if some of the names on my list are not in the country, they are eager to know about the developments. As far as family is concerned, mum’s their hero,” she says with a laugh. “As a woman, I’m glad I have the time to practice and I’m also proud in stating that those villagers have support from many people. they will not be ignored or forgotten.”