A Concrete Bridge On Paper, A Bamboo Crossing In Reality! More Than 200 Families Suffer As Makeshift Bridge Remains Broken.

Dharmanagar, Tripura, 22nd 2026 : A bamboo footbridge has remained broken for nearly a month, effectively disrupting connectivity to Ward No. 3 of South Padmabil Gram Panchayat. The problem has also affected residents of Wards 2 and 4. According to local residents, more than 200 families across these three wards are facing severe hardship.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday morning, an elderly woman reportedly fell seriously ill. Locals alleged that she died after delays in taking her to the hospital because of the broken bamboo bridge. The incident has triggered anger among residents.According to local sources, the elderly woman became critically ill on Tuesday morning. Her family members immediately tried to take her to the hospital. However, because the bamboo bridge had been lying broken for a long time, it was not possible to transport her through the usual route. Local residents were forced to create an alternative route and attempted to take her to the hospital.
The family alleged that the alternative route caused a significant delay in reaching the hospital. After they arrived, doctors declared the woman dead.The family claimed that the situation might have been different had she reached the hospital in time. However, the exact cause of death and whether the delay in reaching the hospital had a direct connection with her death would need to be medically established.
Meanwhile, resentment over the broken bridge had been building among residents for a long time. They alleged that the local ward member and the Gram Panchayat chief had been informed about the condition of the bridge several times over the past month. Despite this, no effective steps had allegedly been taken to restore permanent connectivity.

The most serious allegations concern government records.Local residents claim that government documents reportedly mention the construction of a concrete bridge at the very location where the broken bamboo bridge currently stands. However, there is no concrete bridge at the site. The bamboo crossing remains the only means of access for local residents.
Residents further claimed that discrepancies between the government records and the situation on the ground came to light during a recent inspection by the concerned authorities. They are now demanding answers: If government records mention the construction of a concrete bridge, where is it? Was the project actually completed? If so, where was the money spent, and is there any evidence of construction? Residents have called for the matter to be investigated.The broken bridge has reportedly affected not only emergency medical transportation but also daily commuting, students travelling to schools and colleges, and the transportation of agricultural produce. The situation becomes particularly difficult at night and during emergencies.Following the elderly woman’s death, residents are now demanding immediate administrative intervention. They want a safe alternative route to be arranged without delay. At the same time, they have demanded a transparent investigation into the concrete bridge mentioned in government records, including the project’s implementation, sanctioned funds, expenditure and present status.A concrete bridge on paper, but a bamboo crossing in reality—the question now is: what happened to the proposed bridge? If a government-funded bridge project was indeed undertaken, aggrieved villagers are demanding a detailed investigation into its implementation, allocation of funds, expenditure and current status.