Raiganj: A bamboo bridge over the Dalancha river at Dangapara in Islampur of North Dinajpur district was swept away on Saturday night following heavy rain, cutting off vital connectivity for over 15,000 residents from nearby villages.
The bridge, locally known as a “sanko,” was the only means for residents of Matikunda-I, Matikunda-II, Patagoda, Kunti and surrounding areas to reach Islampur town for work, healthcare and daily necessities. With the bridge gone, villagers now face a detour of nearly 17 km to access essential services.
Locals have begun rebuilding a temporary bamboo structure but are also staging protests demanding a permanent concrete bridge. “We handed over land for the bridge approach road last year when North Bengal Development minister Udayan Guha visited and assured quick construction but no work has started yet,” alleged Kalyan Singh, a Dangapara resident.
Hussain Akhtar, another local, warned of an intensified agitation if construction is not initiated soon. “Most people here are daily wage earners. The delay is hurting their livelihoods.” Islampur BDO Dipannita Barman acknowledged the crisis: “The problem arose after the heavy shower. The administration is looking into the residents’ difficulties seriously.”