BERHAMPUR: It is either one km or eight km. People of around 30 villages in Ganjam block have only these two options before them to reach Ganjam town. While one km is short, it is far more dangerous than the eight km journey.
Hundreds of people, including schoolchildren, office-goers and petty traders are risking their lives every day to cross Rushikulya river using the 500-metre long railway bridges. For these villagers, the railway bridges are the only easy connectivity to Ganjam town. They walk over the bridges or cycle over it to cross the river despite regular accidents. Otherwise, they would have to travel around eight km to cross the river via the new road bridge on NH-5 (now NH-16).
Sources said the pre-Independence era bridge on NH-5 existed adjacent to the railway bridges. In 2003, a new bridge was constructed on the river at a new spot for using the highway. But the new bridge was located at a distance of over five km from these villages, which were close to the bridge of British era. The villagers continued to use the old bridge although it was officially put out of use. The old bridge was declared dangerous and demolished a few years back. And the villagers had no way but to use the railway bridges risking their lives.
People who use the railway bridge for regular commuting include school and college students, labourers, traders and office-goers, said Kasinath Nayak of Aliabag village, who crosses these bridges every day. “If a train approaches the bridge, we keep ourselves at a safe distance from the track by holding the iron bar of the railway bridge,” he added.
Locals suggested that with the intervention of the administration, a footpath can be constructed alongside the railway bridge to provide safe passage to the villagers for o crossing the river. They also demanded construction of a new bridge near the site of old bridge. While the officials concerned expressed their dismay over the issue, a railway officer, on condition of anonymity, said a proposal for construction of a new bridge near the railway level crossing is under consideration of the railway authorities.