Gundi villagers cycle to Hyderabad seeking completion of long-pending bridge

Residents of Gundi village in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district began a cycle rally to Hyderabad on Monday, demanding completion of a bridge sanctioned in 2007. They say the unfinished structure leaves villagers isolated during monsoon and hampers access to essential services.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Residents of Gundi village launched a marathon cycle yatra from their village to Hyderabad demanding completion of a bridge across a stream at their village on Monday morning.

Facing adverse weather conditions triggered by El Nino pattern, youngsters from the village embarked on an arduous journey in protest against the inordinate delay in creating the bridge, covering a distance of over 300 kilometers.

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They wore T-shirts and carried placards that featured slogans such as: We belong to Telangana. Please recognize us and we don’t need assurances, we want solutions, etc.

Speaking on the occasion, the youngsters regretted that the bridge continued to be a distant dream for the villagers. They said that the construction commenced 20 years back. They lamented that they were remaining isolated during monsoon due to lack of a bridge. Students, employees and villagers were struggling to reach Asifabad and surrounding areas for various needs including medical emergencies.

The residents disclosed that they met Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and urged him to take steps to expedite the construction. They requested the officials and public representatives to speed up the construction and help them in accessing the external world. They were welcomed by villagers along the route in Buruguguda and Rebbena villages.

A high-level bridge was sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 8.50 crore, granted by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) way back in 2007. The deadline was December, 2010. Deadlines have extended multiple times, while the cost of construction has been enhanced. However, the facility is yet to become a reality thanks to fund crunch.