RAIPUR: School bag on back. Feet on a slippery iron ladder. A swollen river 20 feet below. For children in Mainpur block of Chhattisgarh’s Gariyaband district, about 190km southeast of Raipur, this is a daily commute to school when monsoon turns the normally shallow Pairi river into a torrent.Dozens of children from Khambhatha and nearby settlements climb a narrow ladder fixed to a pillar of an unfinished bridge, edge past exposed steel bars, and cross above the fast-flowing water to reach primary, middle and high schools. A commute with no room for a misstep. Pairi is a seasonal, rain-fed river rising in Bhatigarh hills of Gariyaband.6 years on, incomplete bridge turns monsoon river crossing into daily gamble for childrenIn winter, it dwindles to a trickle. By summer, much of its bed dries into stretches of sand, allowing people to walk across or ride bicycles and bikes.But from mid-June through Sept, monsoon rain can swell the river, sending water surging across its bed and making the usual crossing perilous.The roughly 300m bridge between Deharguda and Khambhatha, about 5km from Mainpur tehsil headquarters, has been under construction for about six years.Despite complaints and official inspections, work crawls on. Residents said exposed iron bars have already injured people, while rain makes the ladder slick and rising water deepens the peril.The danger came into public view after residents recorded videos of children making the precarious crossing and shared them on social media.About a year ago, elected representatives and former collector inspected the bridge and directed officials and the contractor to speed up work.Villagers said they were assured it would be completed within about six months. That deadline has long since passed.Residents have warned of a road blockade on the national highway if the administration fails to act.Gariyaband collector Ranbir Sharma said he would visit the site. “I am speaking to officials and villagers to understand what immediate solution can be provided. We will review the project status, fix responsibility for any avoidable delay, and ensure that both a temporary safe passage and a time-bound plan for completion are worked out.”The delay is starkest because Mainpur, bordering Odisha, was a Maoist stronghold for decades until sustained security operations in its deep forests ended their dominance last year, killing 24 insurgents between Jan and Sept – including top commanders Modem Balakrishna and Chalpati.As the area returns to normalcy, the bridge meant to make life easier has become a tightrope over a river.
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