Munsiyari bridges in CM Rawat’s backyard collapse, 13 villages cut off

DEHRADUN: Two wooden bridges in Lingurani and Basantkot in Munsiyari, a part of CM Harish Rawat's constituency, have been washed away in the incessant rains in the past few days, cutting off over 13 villages from rest of the district. The bridge at Basantkot on Gori river was washed away on Friday while the bridge at Lingurani on Ralam river was washed away earlier.
Rudra Singh, gram pradhan, Goripar village in Basankot, said that SDM (Munsiyari) Kaustubh Mishra has been informed about the collapse of the bridges, accessed by hundreds of villagers.
Villagers near Basantkot were relying on the temporary wooden bridge after a suspension bridge on the river was washed away in the 2013 flash floods disaster. “We have asked the administration many times for a suspension bridge but it has not been constructed,” Singh said.
Harish Dariyal, leader of the delegation which submitted a memorandum to the SDM demanding the construction of a bridge at Lingurani said that the temporary wooden bridge was washed away ten days ago. The villagers are now using a makeshift log bridge, risking their lives to cross the river. Without a bridge, it would be difficult for people from migratory villages in Bui and Pato to shift to Ralam during the summer, Dariyal said.
The SDM Mishra said that a team has been sent to Lingurani to construct a wooden bridge and a rope trolley has been set up at Basantkot so people can cross the river.