Bignona-Sindian Road: The cry for help from unlicensed taxi drivers

Every rainy season, the road linking Bignona to Sindian becomes a nightmare for the people of Fogny. Drivers, passengers, and residents alike complain about the 18-kilometer stretch that has become impassable, where potholes, puddles, and vehicle breakdowns are a daily occurrence. Between broken political promises and mounting hardship, they are now appealing to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye for urgent repairs.

The consensus is unanimous: "This tragedy cannot continue!" Alioune Badara Badji, manager of the Sindian taxi station, describes a daily life marked by endless detours, blocked vehicles, and passengers forced to pay exorbitant sums just to reach Bignona. "Even for a wedding, an illness, or a death, getting around has become a problem," he confides, emphasizing the direct impact on social and family life.

Drivers describe a road riddled with potholes, where every journey puts a severe strain on the engines. Vehicles break down, passengers wait for hours, and ambulances struggle to evacuate the sick. Lamine Diop Sané, a local resident, insists: "Evacuating a sick person is a nightmare. If you go through Baila or Oulampane, they risk dying en route."

Beyond the daily hardships, a feeling of abandonment prevails. Residents recall that local authorities, accompanied by Ageroute (the road management agency), had already documented the disastrous state of the road and promised swift action. But a month later, nothing has been done. "We've lost all hope," the drivers say, denouncing their continued marginalization.

Since Senghor, Wade, and Sall, promises have been made one after another without ever being fulfilled. The residents see this inaction as a repetition of history: projects announced, bridges built, but roads left in ruins. Today, they are directly appealing to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his administration to take action and put an end to this cycle of broken promises.

The call is unequivocal: immediate action is needed. Drivers and passengers are demanding urgent filling in of critical areas, the creation of drainage ditches, and a sustainable rehabilitation plan. Otherwise, they warn, "it will remain chaos," with increased suffering for the people of Fogny.

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