Villagers to stage 'rasta roko' for Rajguru memorial repairs

Twenty days after dna reported the damage to the floor of the 300-year-old dilapidated wada of freedom fighter Rajguru at Rajgurunagar, Khed due to heavy rain, the restoration work is yet to begin.

The state archaeological department inspected the wada last month, but no action has been taken so far, prompting local residents to start an agitation demanding repair of the structure.
On September 19, the heavy downpour damaged the wada where Rajguru was born, with the flooring giving way.

Now, residents of Rajgurunagar have decided to stage a rasta roko to press their demand for urgent repairs of the floor.
The activists blamed the state government for poor quality work and maintenance of the memorial of a national hero in Rajgurunagar as well as the delay in carrying out the repairs.

Anandrao Gawade, an activist from Rajgurunagar, told dna, “The local activists carried out a protest last week for immediate repairs. Now, the villagers have decided to stage a rasta roko on Pune-Nashik highway next week for repairs of the memorial.”
The heavy downpour damaged almost 75% of the room where Rajguru was born. The archaeology department officials were not available for comments.

RTI activist from Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maruti Bhapkar said, “We had submitted a letter to the district collector and demanded a probe into the case as there was a lot corruption in the work of Hutatma Rajguru Smarak. We had also demanded that the collector take initiative to build a memorial of our national hero for the future generations.”