Manawar (Madhya Pradesh): No action has been taken regarding the hazardous condition of the bridges in Gulati village under Manawar tehsil, though the issue has repeatedly been raised with various government officials and highlighted in Free Press reports.
To note, students, particularly girls, risk their lives to reach school due to two low bridges that are submerged in water for nearly half the year. The bridges are located on a one-kilometre road stretch between Gulati and Balipur and apart from other commuters, 70-80 students in Kalwani and Balipur villages have to cross them daily to reach their schools.
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In 2023, the rural engineering services (RES) department prepared an estimate for two high bridges. The first culvert was estimated at Rs 67.35 lakh and the second at Rs 85.90 lakh, with an additional Rs 33.53 lakh for associated work. However, the project remains unapproved. A number of appeals last year yielded no result.
On June 10, the gram panchayat officials approached Dhar collector Priyank Mishra. On July 25, district panchayat member Kapil Solanki approached panchayat and rural development minister Prahlad Patel. On August 2, another application with photographs was submitted to the collector.
The following day, Union minister for state, women and child development Savitri Thakur was approached at Dhar Rest House. Most recently, on November 19, the local MP raised the matter with PWD minister Rakesh Singh.
The road between Gulati and Balipur not only allows school access to students but also leads to Balipur Dham, a major religious site that receives thousands of devotees daily from Kukshi, Barwani and surrounding villages. Additionally, six school buses use this route daily.
The persistent water flow has led to moss formation on the bridges, causing frequent two-wheeler accidents. RES department officials, including SDO Solanki, stated that they had prepared and submitted the estimates. However, concrete action is still awaited despite urgent safety concerns.
• 70-80 students cross flooded bridges daily
• Rs 186.78 L bridge project awaits approval since 2023
• Appeals to ministers, officials yield no response