Not Just Roads (2021)

• 74%
• 2021
• Documentary
• Nitin Bathla
• Klearjos Eduardo Papanicolaou

The documentary tells the story of the massive urban transformation underway in India. Highways are being constructed at an unprecedented rate of 23 kilometers per day under the Indian government's Bharatmala ('Garland of Limitless Roads') program, which will add a total of 65,400 kilometres of highways to the existing network in India. While the highways aim to open new territories for the emerging Indian middle class. Currently, the territory is inhabited by villages, working class communities, and nomadic herders. It is criss-crossed by native trails and vital ecological commons. This film captures the story of one such highway, the Dwarka Expressway outside Delhi, from the perspective of human and non-human actors. It presents the story of working class neighbourhoods that were demolished to make way for the highway, the construction workers that will never be able to afford living in the gated communities, The story captures protests against the unbridled road-making, and the persuasive pitches by the real estate salesmen trying to piece a living through selling dream homes.