Patna: The beautification of the city’s key areas, particularly Bailey Road (now known as Nehru Path), and the striking structures that have been built in recent years have garnered widespread praise from people.
However, these developments have come at a cost. The artisans from Rajasthan who once resided in makeshift tents along the road, crafting idols and decorative pieces for a living, were forced to vacate the area to make way for the new look.
While many sculptors have left, a few have managed to persevere, hoping that the state govt will show compassion and provide them with an alternative place to live and do business.
Anand, a 60-year-old artisan whose entire family of six children and his wife assist him in his work, expressed his disappointment, saying, “We came all the way from Rajasthan some 30 years back and made this place our home since then. We used to stay and do our business from here itself without any disturbance. But things have not remained the same now.”
Other artisans from the area acknowledged the govt’s efforts in constructing new structures and focusing on the city’s beautification. However, they also emphasized that the authorities concerned should consider the plight of people like them. “We have been asked to vacate the place and every other day the Patna Municipal Corporation men would come and ask us to leave. But we just do not know where to go,” they said.
Asked about their expectations from the govt, the artisans expressed their desire for a permanent place to live and work, regardless of its size. “We came here in search of livelihood and have been staying here with our families since long. The only request is that the govt should provide a permanent place to us, it does not matter howsoever small it is, so that we can lead a tension-free life and continue with our work without any fear of being evicted,” said one of the artisans.

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