Telangana: Temporary bridge washed away, over 40 villages affected in Asifabad

The temporary bridge was built using gravel and hume pipes across the stream for the convenience of the motorists and people of the three mandals in 2022.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: A temporary bridge built across Peddavagu was washed away due to rains at Andevelli village in Kaghaznagar mandal, hitting connectivity of over 40 villages in Dahegaon, Bheemini and Kaghaznagar mandals on Sunday.

The temporary bridge was built using gravel and hume pipes across the stream for the convenience of the motorists and people of the three mandals in 2022. It was constructed to temporarily resume traffic which was affected following a portion of a high-level bridge across Pedddavagu crumbled due to heavy rains in the same year.

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At least 11 villages in interior Dahegaon mandal and 31 villages from Bheemini and Kaghaznagar mandals were disconnected from mainstream with the temporary bridge getting washed away. Some of them included, Girivelli, Karji, Methem, Rampur, Motlaguda, Loha, Tepergaon, Shankaraopet, Ravulapalli villages in Dahegaon mandal, Itikyal, Borlakunta, Rallaguda villages in Bheemini mandal, and Bodepalli and Jagannathpur villages in Kaghaznagar mandals.

People of these villages are now forced to take the Bheemini-Tandur route to reach Kaghaznagar town, travelling around 50 kilometers more than the distance and shelling huge amounts on fares. People of the two mandals use Jagannathpur-Andevelli stretch to arrive at the town to buy groceries and for medical emergencies. Students of villages depend on the town for schools and colleges.

The then government sanctioned Rs 13.55 crore to take up repairs of the bridge in 2023. The work on the bridge is being dragged reportedly due to delay in payment of bills to the executing agency. Locals requested the officials to take steps to expedite the work and to avoid inconvenience in reaching Kaghaznagar town.