Godavari in spate, road link to 25 villages snapped

With the tributaries of Godavari river in spate in the upstream, the low-level causeway across Cheekupalli stream in Wajedu mandal came under a fresh spell of floodwater, snapping the road connectivity to as many as 25 villages in the tribal-sub plan mandal on Friday.

The surging floodwaters flowed over the causeway at a height of four feet on Friday. The causeway, the vital road link on the inter-State border with Chhattisgarh, remained paralysed for the third consecutive day due to its flooding. The plight of the tribals of Koyaveerapuram village turned from bad to worse as the Chakirevuvagu stream adjoining their village is in spate. The people of the affected villages are left with no option but to cross the swollen stream in the two boats arranged by the government departments concerned. The villagers, more particularly the students and patients, were hard-hit by the road blockade due to the inundation of the causeway.

“We are not only subjected to unnecessary financial burden due to payment of the prescribed boat charges but also to the danger of crossing the floodwaters in country boats,” lamented Buchaiah, an affected villager. Our long pending demand for high-level bridge across Cheekupalli stream fell on deaf ears, he lamented blaming the government agencies concerned for their plight.

Despite the sanction of funds for construction of a high level bridge under the Central government sponsored Integrated Action Plan for the left wing extremism affected areas over a year ago, the agencies concerned have failed to take up the works till date, charged another aggrieved villager.