SRIKAKULAM /VIZIANAGARAM/PARVATHIPURAM-MANYAM: Hundreds of students are forced to cross Nagavali, Vamsadhara and Mahendratanaya to reach their school every day with the absence of bridges across the rivers at strategic locations in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Parvathipuram-Manyam districts.
Unfulfilled election promises of political leaders, official negligence in providing basic amenities, the government’s apathy in sanctioning funds and contract agencies’ inordinate delay in the construction works have become a curse for the people of many villages.
During floods, several villages in these districts would lose connectivity with Mandal headquarters. So, people in these villages have no other way but to cross the rivers for going to schools and colleges and other needs. Crossing the river is risky when there are huge inflows from upstream areas. There have been a number of instances of the villagers being washed away while crossing the rivers, but successive governments have failed to construct bridges.
Purnapadu-Labesu bridge, which will connect at least 60 tribal hamlets in nine gram panchayats to their mandal headquarters, is a long-pending project in Komarada mandal in Parvathipuram-Manyam district. At least 32 tribals drowned in a country-made boat mishap in River Nagavali in 1996. After the accident, the State government started Purnapadu-Labesu bridge works in 2006 with an estimated cost of Rs 3.5 crore, but the work stopped midway.
With the efforts of Deputy Chief Minister and local MLA Pamula Puspha Srivani, the State government sanctioned Rs 14 crore and issued GO No: 500 to complete the bridge works in September 2021. However, the bridge work has not started.
Students of Peda Parannavalasa, Chinna Parannavalasa and Rongalivanivalasa villages in Saluru mandal of Parvathipuram-Manyam are facing difficulties during the rainy season going to school when Kura Gedda and Vegavathi are swelling. Although the previous Congress government started construction of a bridge in 2009, the works were stopped midway. Now, the abandoned structure is in a dilapidated condition.
Though these villages are just 4 km away from Saluru, people have to travel at least 12 km by road to reach there. During the rainy season, parents are forced to carry their kids on their shoulders while crossing the river to send them to school.
At least 15 tribal villages in Gajapathinagaram and Mentada mandals lose connectivity with the plain areas when River Champavathi is swelling in Vizianagaram district. Marrivalasa, Sidagamvalasa, Rayivalasa, Panukuvalasa, Saradavalasa, Aguru, Laxmipuram, Relligudem, Vanisa, Sakivalasa and other villages will be affected during the floods.
People in at least 40 villages in five mandals are facing troubles in reaching their district headquarters with the absence of a bridge at Balasalarevu in Amadalavalasa mandal across the River Nagavali in Srikakulam district. People in Santhakaviti, Ponduru, Amudalavalasa, G Sigadam and Rajam mandals have been travelling more than 80 km, instead of the real distance of 30km, to reach Srikakulam.
After a series of agitations, the TDP government led by N Chandrababu Naidu sanctioned Rs 9 crore to construct a bridge at Balasalarevu and issued GO No 154 in the year 1999. However, the bridge work has not started. People of several villages staged a relay hunger fast at Waltair village for 794 days from 19 February 2017 to 23 November 2019 demanding the government to construct Balasalarevu Bridge, but in vain.
After the efforts of Assembly Speaker Tammineni Seetharam, the government gave administration sanction for the construction of the Balasalarevu bridge at an estimated cost of Rs 87 crore two weeks ago. The Roads and Buildings officials have begun the process to start the bridge works.
Likewise, the students of Arakabadra in Ichapuram mandal have been facing troubles when the river Bahuda is flooded. Though the construction of a bridge was started in 2017, it was stopped mid-way. Villagers have to come to Koligam village for school, livelihood, and health needs. They can either cross the river or travel 12 kms through Odisha. The previous TDP government sanctioned Rs 13 crore in 2017 to construct a bridge and the present government, too, sanctioned Rs 8.5 crore for the bridge and another Rs 2.5 crore for an approach road. However, the bridge works were not started.
Kapu Gopalapuram and Harijana Gopalapuram villages in Pathapatnam mandal will lose connectivity when River Mahendratanaya is in spate in Srikakulam district. The residents have to walk on the Nowpada-Gunpur railway bridge to reach their villages.
S Santhosh, a student from Purnapadu, said, “We are crossing the river every day. We are carrying two dresses while going to Komarada school. Sometimes we are forced to take holidays if the river is swelling. I appeal to the district officials to complete the bridge works as soon as possible.”