Boko: Villagers along the Assam-Meghalaya border in Kamrup district have come together to build a makeshift bamboo bridge over the Singra River in Hahim, providing much-needed relief for the communities in the area.
The bridge, constructed in just five days by residents of Jugdoba, Golapara, and Tilapara villages, spans nearly 200 meters and serves as a crucial link for more than ten villages, including 2 No. Samuka Revenue village.
The bridge was opened to the public on Tuesday to facilitate access to Hahim’s weekly market, as well as schools, colleges, and hospitals in the area. Villagers donated over 500 bamboo poles and contributed their labor to complete the bridge, which fills the void left by a wooden bridge destroyed during catastrophic floods in 2014.
“This is the reality in a district where Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma himself votes in every election,” Kishore Rabha of Tilapara village expressed the community’s struggles.
“We have to cross the river daily for medical needs, school, and the market. During the rainy season, it’s impossible to cross,” he added. Rabha also pointed out that the new bridge reduces travel distance to Hahim by about 5 kilometers, saving time and money for villagers who previously endured long detours.
More than 300 students commute from surrounding villages like Jugdoba, Golapara, Gamerimura, and Salpara to attend schools and colleges in Hahim and Boko, and the bridge has provided a temporary solution for their daily travel. However, Rabha warned that the bamboo bridge is a short-term measure, likely to be washed away in three to four months, and raised the urgent need for a permanent RCC bridge.
Villagers expressed frustration over government development promises, citing projects like Digital India and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which feel disconnected from their reality.
The residents demanded an RCC bridge as soon as possible to ensure reliable access, echoing the sentiments of residents who feel neglected despite living close to Assam’s capital.