Rourkela: Villagers of Telendihi in Hemgir block continue to risk their lives crossing the swollen Chaturdhara river in the absence of a bridge, particularly during the monsoon.The river separates Naktideula and Telendihi villages under Gopalpur panchayat. With no bridge, residents wade through chest‑deep waters to reach the other side for work, school, or medical needs. Government and private schools, as well as a college, lie across the river, forcing students to either remain absent during heavy rain or be carried on the shoulders of their fathers and relatives to attend classes.Critically-ill patients and pregnant women are also ferried across on cots. Some parents even leave their children with relatives on the far side during the rainy season to ensure uninterrupted schooling. “We have been demanding a bridge at different forums for years, but nothing has happened. In the rainy season, our children often miss classes because of the swollen river. Sometimes we carry them on our shoulders to cross the water and drop them at school,” said Trilochan Rana, a villager, whose daughter studies in a private primary school.Block development officer (BDO) Reena Naik said she had already sent a proposal for the bridge. “I forwarded the proposal to the chief development officer, Sundargarh, for construction from DMF funds, but it is yet to be approved,” she said.Chief development officer‑cum‑executive officer Suranjan Sahoo assured action. “I will take up this matter on an urgent basis and see how a bridge can be built,” he said.
