00:00Sahadat Road in Princess Town has a long history of landslips, some so severe they've swallowed entire homes and even a Hindu temple over the years.
00:11Now, another landslip threatens a family of 11.
00:1560-year-old Rafiq Mohammed lives here with his wife, a stroke patient, his daughter and son-in-law and their six children, and his nine-month-old great-grandchild.
00:25And every day, he says, they worry about their safety and the stability of their home.
00:31It's over bad, over, over sink. And the only scene with the butt gone, and the only scene with the poles.
00:40And I said, from there I said it. So I don't know what will happen.
00:44The house will collapse in the night, the wall will break, the more it sink, it will drain and affect my baby and the family and whatsoever.
00:53He believes the land movement began as a result of a leaking wasser line.
00:58A few years ago, he says, after making many reports, an official came and a water line was removed.
01:05But the damage, he believes, was already done.
01:07She comes, and she puts a mark in the room with a gentleman, and she says,
01:14Mohammed, she gives me something, and I go down there, and I catch the water.
01:18And when I catch the water, she says, yes, it's flowing.
01:21They come quick, 4 o'clock in the morning, and they dig in front of the house there, and they cross the road fast.
01:28It is how fast they dig that.
01:31And they lock off it, for them not to take the blame.
01:34He is now calling on the authorities to urgently assist with a retaining wall to prevent further movement and to protect his family.
01:43But beyond this home, residents warn the landslip also threatens Sahadat Road itself,
01:49a collapse, they say, would severely disrupt access for the wider community.
01:54Where that wall is there, there is a drop about 15 feet or more behind that wall, right?
02:02That is depth, the landslide there.
02:04And from where I stand in, which is supposed to be the road, the road passing right where I stand in there.
02:09So we'll pass here.
02:10That is the arm.
02:11The curb and stuff are drained that moved and went there.
02:14So nearly half of the road go on already.
02:18Well, here could have a six-feet drop till here.
02:20But what I'm seeing is, well, the rainfall is to go anytime soon.
02:25Sahadat Road is an alternative route between Princess Town and Barakpur, more frequently used.
02:30Since the Mandingo Road route was closed to facilitate repairs to another landslip in June of last year.
02:37Residents say if this roadway also becomes impassable, daily life would become even more difficult.
02:44This road is about one kilometre and it's the best part to see in here.
02:49And the bridge there, you have a bridge there to have a landslide and next side.
02:52People can't go, you can't even go to the school.
02:55They have a school there.
02:57The people I make wrong, so the parents have to pay more money for the transport of the churn
03:01because the transport to go an extra two miles are wrong, you know.
03:06And even we who want to go to our masjid there, so same thing.
03:11We all have it hard.
03:12Mr. Hussain says it seems like country people are always left behind
03:17since they've been asking for these repairs for many years.
03:21While he says he's hopeful the new government will act,
03:25he feels issues like these should always be monitored by the regional cooperation
03:29and addressed quickly to maintain connectivity and save money
03:34through minor repairs early on versus major projects when they deteriorate.
03:39Look, this morning we had to put up this bamboo here because
03:42vehicles could go down in the air and that is more from somebody could lose their life
03:46or the vehicle, whatever it is.
03:47And the authorities, why we have to stand here, I don't know, in this day and age,
03:53reporting to reporters, letting them know to carry the news
03:56when you have people who are being paid to do this,
04:00to come and check the roads and see where it needs repairs.
04:03We contacted the MP for Moruga Tableland, Michelle Benjamin, who said she conducted a site visit
04:09after our questions were sent and informed that safety barriers will be erected by the
04:14Princesstown Regional Corporation as the road is passable to one-lane traffic.
04:19As for the affected family, she says they were visited and their concerns are being addressed.
04:24MP Benjamin says, as for the ongoing project to the main route,
04:29a signed visit with the Ministry of Works, contractor and herself will take place on Thursday
04:35to provide an update on its progress.
04:38Meanwhile, WASA's Corporate Communications Department said a response would be issued,
04:43but none was received up to news time.
04:46Cindy Ragumar Thika Singh, TV6 News.
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