Khunti

Fifteen-year-old Sunita Horo (name changed), who is set to appear for her board exams next year, is forced to swim across a stretch of the Banai river to reach school after the only bridge connecting her village in Jharkhand’s Khunti district collapsed recently.

The bridge, built in 2007 at a cost of Rs 1.30 crore connecting Ranchi-Khunti-Simdega road near Pelol village, collapsed on one side after a pillar supporting the approach road tilted during heavy rains on June 19.

"Initially, I used a bamboo ladder arranged by villagers to connect the damaged part of the bridge to the main structure. The administration later prohibited its use, terming it dangerous," Sunita said.

She now attends school only once or twice a week.

"I have no choice but to swim across a portion of the river to reach school. While swimming, I hold my school bag above my head, but my clothes get completely wet. So, I bring an extra set of clothes from home," added Sunita, a student at Government High School, Pelol.

She isn't alone. Many of her classmates and other students from Angarbari village, all preparing for board exams, have adopted the same risky route.

"Most times, we return home in wet clothes, so we cannot attend school the next day," said Rita Pradhan (name changed), one of Sunita’s friends.

The collapsed bridge has affected not only hundreds of students from Government High School and a missionary school in Pelol, but also residents of 12 villages, who have lost connectivity between Khunti headquarters and Ranchi.

Movement of heavy vehicles and buses traveling between Ranchi and Odisha via Simdega has also been partially disrupted, an official said.

Khunti Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Dipesh Kumari said construction of a diversion near the bridge has begun.

"However, continuous rain is hindering the construction. Traffic is being temporarily diverted through an alternative route," Kumari added.

Students said their daily commute, which used to take five minutes before the collapse, now takes 40 minutes via a 12 km detour, increasing their travel costs.

"Now, it takes 40 minutes to reach school as we must cover an additional 12 km via the new route, increasing our daily expenses," they said.

Jharkhand Chief Minister has ordered a probe into the bridge collapse.

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The SDO said that a departmental probe committee has been formed which is investigating the matter.