The Hindu Business Line : Barbed fence over a dream of development

It was an unwilling tranquillity that hung in the air around the proposed and abandoned Singur small car project site on Friday. Long hauling Durgapur Expressway was as usual busy with high-speed traffic. But the entire project area was wrapped with an undesired calm.

The private security personnel were in - guard to the lifeless structures of the initiated project, made by Tata Motors and other ancillary industries. Motor-driven carts, which carry locals, used to have a stop in front of the main gate of the project.

But now, no longer. As there is no passengers. Just two years ago, this spot immerged as a main halt on the expressway, at least with 30 such carts standing in a row. However, today there is no sign of any activity.

But all this was expected after Tata Motors decided to withdraw their project from Singur, right? So, what's new?

The barbed fence at the main gate, which has pierced through the dream air of development. There was an elderly farmer passing by the place. When called out to, there was no reply from him, only a look of surprise. "Everything is over, all farm land has been sold and nothing is left for farming here, subsequently no job," he sighs.

What about cultivation this time?

"As bad, as the weather" he says, pointing to the fenced portions of the farmland other than the project area, which were sold to rich buyers from the city. The land costs were high during the initial days of the dream, but today there are no takers. It has come down from Rs 20 lakh an acre to Rs 5 lakh an acre.

So, what is next?

"Nothing, everybody has done everything and we are just meagre spectators and will go on watching," he replies.

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