Villagers risk lives to cross swollen river in makeshift boat to save ailing children in Andhra Pradesh’s Manyam district | Visakhapatnam News – Times of India
The incident has once again brought attention to the long-delayed completion of the essential Purnapadu-Labesu bridge on the Nagavali river in Komarada mandal.
Heavy rains in the catchment areas have caused the river to overflow, making it difficult for villagers to access medical facilities.
The two children, K Mariyamma (6) and KG Rahul (4) were suffering from fever, and with no medical facility in their village, the villagers had no choice but to risk their lives and use the makeshift boat to cross the Nagavali river to reach the primary health centre at K Ramabhadrapuram for treatment.
One of the villagers, K Gasi, expressed their concerns about the lack of proper road connectivity due to the incomplete Purnapadu-Labesu bridge. Despite demanding the bridge’s completion to connect them to the mainland, both the public representatives and the district administration have not taken any steps to address the issue.
The construction of the Purnapadu-Labesu bridge started in 2006, but it has remained incomplete due to various reasons. This has made it challenging for people in over 40 villages connected to Komarada Mandal headquarters to access schools, hospitals, and nearby markets, especially during the rainy season.
RR Construction Infra began the bridge’s completion in 2015 with an estimated cost of Rs 7 crore, but the project was not finished. The YSRC government claimed to have sanctioned Rs 14 crore for the bridge in December 2022, but the contractor allegedly lost interest in completing the work due to pending bills from the government.
Manyam district collector Nishant Kumar had inspected the incomplete bridge a few months ago and stated that the work would be completed before June 2023. However, no progress has been made since then.
The villagers are appealing to the officials to complete the bridge works as soon as possible to prevent any future boat tragedies and to restore proper connectivity during the rainy season, ensuring safe access to essential services and amenities.
