Bridge Built Out of Desperation: Dima Hasao Villagers Demand Reopening of National Highway Cuts

 Haflong Sept 24: Daily life has turned into a daily ordeal for the residents of Longma and Pura villages, located along the stretch between Mahur and Jatinga in Dima Hasao district. 

The recent decision to seal the local median cuts on the National Highway at their village entrances has cut off direct access, leaving the community grappling with severe travel detours and safety risks.

Following the closure of these crucial access points—which previously allowed residents, schoolchildren, and local farmers to cross the highway safely at their doorstep—villagers are now forced to travel an extra 5 to 6 kilometers just to perform a simple U-turn. The massive detour has drastically increased commuting times, transportation costs, and daily physical hardship for the entire area.

Driven by desperation and the lack of immediate administrative relief, the villagers took matters into their own hands. They have constructed makeshift, bridge-like structures over the highway barriers at their village entrances as a risky, temporary local arrangement to cross the road on foot.

"We are forced to risk our lives using temporary crossings every single day just to carry out basic activities," said a local resident. "Travelling an extra five to six kilometers for every simple errand is simply unsustainable for farmers, students, and the elderly."

The villagers are appealing to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and local district authorities to urgently consider their plight. They urge officials to either reopen the median cuts with proper safety signaling or construct formal, safe pedestrian foot-over-bridges and designated U-turns to alleviate the severe inconvenience faced by the community.