Maharashtra: Incomplete bridge on Gundenur river in Gadchiroli poses risk to tribals every monsoon
Datta Shirke, president of Jana Sangharsha Samiti said that incomplete bridge on NH-352 (Laheri to Narayanpur) is proving to be a 'death trap for tribals.' According to Shirke, the unfinished bridge poses significant challenges for residents, especially pregnant women and sick individuals in accessing healthcare, especially during monsoon.
Gundenur river flows near Laheri village in Bhamragad taluk on the highway connecting Maharashtra to Chhattisgarh. The construction of this bridge began a few years ago. In 2018, an 84km patch of road was mentioned in a report titled, 'State-wise length of National Highways (NH) in India.'
The administration is aware of the issue. When The Indian Express contacted Gadchiroli collector Avishyanta Panda, he said, 'After the situation came to light, a boat was arranged for the citizens to cross the river. The situation is serious at one specific period of the day when the water level is very high.'
'The work on the National Highway bridge was scheduled to be completed by March next year. Works are on track and will be completed within the stipulated timeline. The delays were owing to security issues because of the Naxal activities in the area. Police presence was required to construct the bridge,' said the district collector.
Highlighting the other issues which caused delay in the work, Panda said, 'Due to remote location, supply of labour, materials and machine was difficult and disrupted, which also led to slight delay in construction of the bridge. All the measures for mitigation and help are in place. Boats have been supplied and nobody is allowed to cross the river without supervision. The district administration is continuously monitoring the situation and has visited the place multiple times.'
Panda said that the list of all pregnant women is there with health staff so that they can be placed in 'Maher Ghar' attached to PHCs prior to delivery. Also, medicines and ration for three months have been provided beforehand to all these villages.
Bhamragad tehsildar Kishore Bagde also appealed to residents to avoid crossing the flooded river and use the government-provided boat for their safety.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Opening of promenade along seaside of coastal road deferred by a week
The opening of the 7.5 km promenade along the seaside of the coastal road has been deferred by a week and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is now eyeing to open it to public after July 21. Of the 7.5 km long promenade, the civic body is set to launch a 5.5 km stretch along with six pedestrian underpasses for the public in the coming week. According to officials, nearly 100 trees have been planted along the stretch. Spanning from Priyadarshini Park to Worli, the 7.5 km promenade along the seaward side of the coastal road forms a part of 111 hectares of reclaimed land of which 70 hectares has been carved out and reserved as an open space. Of the total open space, nearly 53 hectares of parcel on the landward side has been earmarked for gardens, amphitheatres and green belts while 7.5 km has been developed as a Marine drive-like promenade. While the new promenade in Mumbai was initially slated to open on July 15, The Indian Express has learnt that the opening was deferred by a week owing to factors such as small finishing works among other reasons. According to officials, the stretch is likely to be inaugurated between July 21 and 31, over a year since the vehicular carriageways were open for traffic. However, the civic body will be opening the promenade in phases. In the first phase, the BMC is eyeing to inaugurate 5.5 km of the total promenade, which will span from Priyadarshini Park to Haji Ali Juice Centre and then another stretch between Poonam Chambers in Worli to the bowstring arch bridge near Worli. Speaking to The Indian Express, BMC officials said, 'While we will be opening nearly 5.5 km stretch of the promenade now, the small stretch will not be accessible for now as we will be commencing work on the car park near Haji Ali. In order to prevent inconvenience to visitors while the work is underway, a part of the promenade near this work site will only be opened later.' With the promenade situated on the seaward side and along the busy arterial coastal road, the BMC is also set to open six pedestrian underpasses to enable pedestrians to cross from the landward side to the promenade. These pedestrian underpasses are situated near Amarsons Garden, Mahalaxmi temple, Haji Ali Juice Centre while three other subways will be situated across Worli including near Worli Dairy and the Bindumadhav Thackeray Chowk. In a bid to enhance greenery along the stretch, the civic body has planted nearly 100 trees of two varieties–Washingtonia Robusta and Barringtonia–along the total length of the promenade. The promenade will also feature jogging tracks, seating areas as well as a dedicated lane for cycling. To cater to the large footfall slated to flock to the site, the BMC is also installing four bio-toilets along the promenade, which will be located near Amarsons Garden at Breach Candy, Mahalakshmi while two are set to be erected in Worli.
Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘Feels like home' — Inside Bihar's first LGBTQ+-run restaurant
Written by Aarya Bhushan Amid the bustle of Patna's Gandhi Maidan stands Satrangi Dostana, a restaurant that carries more than just the promise of a good meal. It embodies a dream of acceptance and dignity, as Bihar's first restaurant run entirely by the people of the LGBTQ+ community. When Aditi Gupta, 19, first walked into Satrangi Dostana to work, her hands trembled—not from the fear of hot oil or balancing trays, but from the sheer weight of the moment. 'I don't want to be perceived as transgender. All I want is acceptance as a daughter and a girl,' she tells The Indian Express, carefully setting the table. 'Don't judge my gender based on appearance or attire, but on emotion and soul. Everyone has their own struggles—we are struggling too. We are your children.' More than a place to eat, Satrangi Dostana is a message. Located in a two-storey building with rainbow displays and Bollywood melodies playing softly, it serves Chinese snacks, South Indian breakfast, parathas, soups, burgers, mocktails and more. An open terrace on the second-floor displays 55 words related to gender and identity—designed to start conversations. Funded through crowdfunding, donations and grants, the restaurant employs nearly 20 people. From chefs to servers to baristas, each of them has a story to tell. Born in Bihar's Fatuha region, Aditi says she always felt at odds with the body she was born into, taking refuge in jewellery, sarees, and makeup. When she came out to her family, she was met with denial — and at times, violence. Only her mother offered some support, but it was not enough to keep her home. Aditi left, hoping to find acceptance elsewhere. She was forced to spend a night at the Patna railway station. Her turning point came with activist Reshma Prasad, who introduced her to Garima Greh, a shelter home for transgender persons run by Dostana Safar, a community-based organisation registered under the Societies Act in 2012. Here, Aditi found not just a roof but the beginnings of recovery. With the NGO's support, she started working at Satrangi Dostana. The restaurant, whose staff was also from the LGBTQ+ community, was inaugurated on June 23, 2023, by Prasad, secretary of Dostana Safar and now a judicial member at the Patna civil district court, with support from the Patna Municipal Corporation. It was inaugurated by US Consul General Melinda Pavek and Patna Mayor Sita Sahu. One of the staffers says, 'We feel like people are our own here, and we can express ourselves. No one asks 'who are you?' or 'what are you?' They ask, 'how are you?'' For Aditi, the experience has been transformative. 'I've grown my hair, and I feel so good about it. I love it,' she says. A regular customer, sipping on a cappuccino, said: 'This place is wholesome. The food is good, but it's the people who make it feel like home'. Now financially independent, Aditi even sends money back to the family that once turned her away. She dreams big. But Satrangi Dostana faces its share of challenges. Tucked inside a narrow lane with no proper road and muddy patches, the location remains hard to access. While eateries on main roads enjoy higher footfall, Satrangi Dostana struggles with visibility. Limited space and lack of advertising also hinder growth. Pricing, slightly higher than average, has deterred some customers. Still, the staff remain committed. According to the 2011 Census, Bihar has 40,827 transgender persons — the highest among Indian states. But access to employment, housing and healthcare remains scarce. While the state has taken steps — hosting its first Pride Parade in 2012 and forming a Transgender Welfare Board in 2019—systemic gaps persist. A controversy in 2023, where transgender persons were listed under the 'caste' category in a state government survey, sparked criticism. Reflecting on the journey of her restaurant, Reshma Prasad says: 'People told me to start something small—like a tea stall. But I had a different vision. Through this restaurant, I want to say: transgender people also have a life, and we can work with dignity'. 'I am Reshma—but this is not just my story. I urge people not to see this struggle only through me, but through everyone like me. The fight against negativity isn't ours alone. Society must also take responsibility.'
Indian Express
17 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘We don't even go to farms alone': when leopard fear stalks a Delhi village
A leopard chased a cattle herder early on Monday morning in Delhi's Jagatpur village, hours after forest officials laid a trap to capture the elusive animal that has kept villagers on the city's outskirts on edge for days. Fear has taken deep root in the village. Mehfrooz Ali, 65, told The Indian Express, 'We have stopped going to the farms. Instead of every day, we now go only twice or thrice a week. And we never go alone.' He has been farming in the area for decades and was also the first one to report the sighting of a leopard there, in 2016. 'We move in groups of five or six, and even then we avoid early mornings or late evenings. It has affected our livelihood,' Ali added. The Department of Forests and Wildlife has empowered the divisional forest officer to initiate capture and relocation efforts under section 11 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972. In a public meeting with villagers on July 8, officials acknowledged the recurring leopard presence since at least 2016. Villagers, however, alleged that no concrete action had been taken in all these years. 'The officers and experts sit inside air-conditioned rooms. Only we know what it feels like to walk through the fields, always on edge,' said Ali. At the meeting, senior officials from the forest department pointed to examples of 'successful human-animal coexistence' in other parts of the country, such as in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai. But Ali pushed back, 'There are leopard attacks there as well. It's not the same as what they claim.' Residents say they are not hostile to the animal but want it relocated to ensure safety on both sides. 'We don't want the leopard harmed. We want it trapped and taken somewhere safe… for it to be rescued and for our safety,' Ali said. Chief Wild Life Warden Shyam Sundar Kandpal has directed the central forest division to carry out the rescue with 'minimum trauma' to the animal, using standard procedures and personnel under supervision via a letter issued on July 11. 'You are hereby permitted to initiate steps for safe rescue and translocation of the said animal to a suitable natural habitat/Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary by way of employing capturing, trapping and baiting practices by engaging forest department personnel under your supervision,' read his letter. The operation is being supported by veterinary and logistics teams from the National Zoological Park and experts from Delhi University's Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems. According to the letter, daily reports are to be submitted 'till successful rescue and translocation of the leopard is completed'. The trap was laid on Sunday night. The documentary evidence of a leopard was first recorded on June 15 via a camera trap set up by a wildlife enthusiast Hemant Garg. As per photos accessed by The Indian Express, frequent sightings were recorded via the camera trap. For instance, the animal was captured by the camera again, around 8.30 pm on June 24, roughly 15 minutes after the track was seen to be used by villagers.
