(Left) SHGs members of Hakchang, Sangsangyo and Maksha breaking stone chips for the bridge abutment construction. (Right) Four churches from the region helped in constructing nine wooden culverts between Sangshen to Bridge point. (Photo Courtesy: ECS)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | November 9
A 70-feet bridge over Yinjung River and a 10 km link road in Tuensang district was virtually inaugurated by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday.
Christened as ‘The People’s Bridge,’ the bridge was a result of convergence of various government departments and agencies and the community. A joint initiative of Eleutheros Christian Society (ECS), the people of Hakchang area, The HANs Foundation, various government departments and organisations, the Rs 1.20 crore Bridge and link road was built in 16 months.
The idea of the bridge took seed in 2014 when eight villages who lived across the Yinjung River realised that they could reduced their three hour journey to the nearest health centre to less than 10 kms with a bridge. Without it, the villagers had to travel almost three hours—30 kms upstream and 30 kms back—to receive healthcare services at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Longpang which was run by the ECS.
With this realisation, the community built a bridge using locally available resources but it was washed away by flood waters in the following monsoon. Undeterred by the loss, the community once again built a second bridge, this time at a safer location downstream.
The village councils and church took the lead for building of the second bridge and SHG mothers and members of the mothers club came together to support the initiative. Young people came to help paint the bridge and many churches came to help in constructing wooden culverts on the link road. Women SHGs of Hakchang, Sangsangyo and Maksha and other villages, stepped in to help, often spending the day breaking stone chips for the bridge abutment construction, among others.
Through the ECS which helped mobilize the support to build this bridge, a massive convergence effort was initiated between the community, various state departments such as PWD, MGNREGA, BRO, DEF Tuensang, Assam Rifles, the local MLA and individual donors and friends of the ECS, and ‘The People’s Bridge’ was finally completed.
Other noteworthy funder was the HANs Foundation who put in almost 60% of the cost.
While inaugurating the bridge, CM Rio noted that education, along with healthcare and connectivity, are basic necessities. He assured the government’s support towards the joint venture, and expressed hope that the bridge would bring people of the region together, and bring about harmony and prosperity.
The link road and the bridge is the perfect example of how convergence of state, funders and the community can do wonders.
