Kakori Train Action Day: How A Permanent Bridge Ended Decades Of Isolation In Shaheed Thakur Roshan Singh’s Nawada Village
· Free Press Journal
Shahjahanpur, August 8, 2026: The birthplace of revolutionary martyr Thakur Roshan Singh, who was executed for his role in India’s freedom struggle, remained cut off from mainstream development for decades after Independence because of the absence of a permanent bridge over the Khannaut River. The isolation affected several generations of residents of Nawada village in Shahjahanpur district.
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According to local residents, the area remained disconnected from surrounding regions for four to five months every year during the monsoon season, affecting access to hospitals, schools, colleges, and markets.
Permanent Bridge Replaced Pontoon Crossing
After representations were made to the Uttar Pradesh government following the formation of the Yogi Adityanath administration, a permanent bridge was approved in place of the earlier pontoon bridge. The project was sanctioned on February 25, 2018, along with road connectivity works and a degree college project for the area.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath later visited Nawada village on December 30, 2018, inaugurated the bridge, paid tribute at the statue of Thakur Roshan Singh, and met members of his family. Villagers described the occasion as an emotional moment that marked the end of decades of neglect.
Freedom Fighter’s Legacy
Thakur Roshan Singh was born on December 19, 1892, in Nawada village to Thakur Jangi Singh and Kaushalya Devi. He participated in Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement and later became associated with the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA).
Historical accounts record that he was imprisoned for two years after participating in protests in Bareilly in 1922. He was later linked to revolutionary activities connected with the HRA and was arrested after the Kakori conspiracy case of 1925, despite not being directly present during the Kakori train robbery.
Roshan Singh was tried along with Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, and Rajendra Nath Lahiri and was sentenced to death. He was executed at Naini Jail in Prayagraj on December 19, 1927.
Improved Connectivity For Villagers
Residents say the permanent bridge has significantly improved connectivity for Nawada Darowast and nearby villages. Ambulances are now able to reach the area more quickly, students can travel more easily for education, and farmers have better access to markets for transporting their produce.
Yogi Govt Initiative: IAS, IPS And IFS Officers To Engage With Students Every MonthWith plans for a degree college and the development of the martyr’s ancestral home as a memorial, local residents believe the village is now receiving recognition linked to Thakur Roshan Singh’s contribution to India’s freedom struggle.
The development is being seen locally as both an infrastructure improvement and a symbolic recognition of the sacrifice associated with one of the prominent revolutionaries of the Kakori era.