Khargone: For residents of Manawar village in Khargone, especially school children, crossing the Sel river in the rainy season becomes the most perilous task they have to carry out almost every day.

The reason: this mountain river that runs through the village in Maheshwar janpad panchayat gets swollen due to heavy rain and there is no bridge over it. The village children have to cross it to go to school on the other side and so do the pregnant women or elderly who need a health check-up.

The community of approximately 700 residents has been demanding a bridge over the Sel river for a long time now. Parents are particularly anxious when sending their children to school. “Children must cross the river every day to reach school, and the risk of accidents looms large. The situation is compounded by the frequent soaking of their uniforms and school bags,” a village resident Vishnu said.

The staff at govt primary school in Ashapuri is tasked with ferrying the students across the river to ensure they can attend classes. “After school, we take them back home too, aware of the risks they face every time they cross the river,” an assistant teacher at the school said. “Also, due to the dilapidated state of the school building, around 25 children are currently being taught in the Manglik Bhawan of a local temple,” the teacher added.

Another villager Devi Singh said, “Ambulances cannot reach us, and sick individuals, especially pregnant women, face immense difficulties in getting medical attention.”

“Due to lack of alternative routes, villagers are forced to cross the river to access Ashapuri or Moyad village. While Rs eight lakh was sanctioned for the bridge construction in 2022-23, the total estimated cost stands at Rs 24 lakh now,” Maheshwar janpad panchayat CEO Reena Chauhan said.

District panchayat CEO Akash Singh said that on learning about the urgency of the situation, he had requested an estimation cost for administrative sanction to expedite the process. He assured that funding from the 15th Finance Commission, along with support from the District Collector, would be sought to address this pressing need.