7000 Assam Villagers Spend Rs 1 Crore To Build Bridge Without Govt Help, Not For The First Time

Some communities have found a way to sustain themselves with more independence than others.

In Assam's Kamrup district, villagers funded the building of a wood bridge on the Jaljali river without government support. They spent Rs 1 crore in building the bridge.

India Today

About 7,000 people from 10 villages in Nagarbera funded construction of the 335-metre bridge, according to a report. The construction began in 2018.

Crossing the Jaljali river in monsoon was a task in itself. Country-made boats were used to ferry schoolchildren, patients and food.

However, this is not the first time people in Assam's villages have come together to construct a bridge without government support.

In 2018, the villagers of Dihamlai area, in south Assam's Dima Hasao district, rebuilt a bridge without any government help.

"Why should we wait for the government when we can do things ourselves? All we need is a strong willpower and determination," The Telegraph quoted Aching Zeme, a social activist, as saying.

Facebook/Aching Zeme

The bridge, that connects four villages with Haflong, the district headquarters, was totally damaged by floods and landslide at that time and the villagers were totally cut off.

Many villagers gathered together, some old iron cables were used to rebuild the hanging bridge which was reportedly completed in just eight hours.

These examples bring forth the resilience of the villagers and how they chose to take the matters in their own hands without waiting for government intervention.