Kudal-Medha road bridge on Niranjana river still incomplete, ST bus service off, students suffer

Work on the Niranjana river bridge on the Kudal-Medha route has been going on for the past year even after crores of rupees in funds were spent. The work is still incomplete. Some heavy vehicles have nonetheless begun using the bridge, but the ST bus service that students need has not been restored.

Students, parents and commuters are angrily asking why the students' ST bus is being held back when heavy vehicles can be allowed.

Because the bridge is unfinished, students from Songaon, Arde, Belawade, Kudal, Nevekarwadi, Karandoshi, Gopalpantachi Wadi and Panas are facing serious difficulty. With the ST bus service not running as before, reaching school and college on time has become hard. They have to depend on private vehicles, which puts an extra financial burden on parents.

Exams are about to begin, so the students' running about has increased. Parents and students are increasingly demanding that the Medha ST depot take the matter seriously and immediately start the bus service from Medha towards Pachwad.

Because of the bridge, people still have to take a detour via Kudal, Humgaon and Akhade. This costs students, parents, government employees who travel to Medha daily and traders both time and money. The question is also being raised why the Medha ST Mahamandal is not taking a firm decision on starting the bus service when the bridge work is nearing completion.

There is also a demand that if the safety checks and the permission of the department concerned needed for running vehicles on the bridge have been completed, the Medha ST Mahamandal should take the initiative to start the bus service without delay. If it is not yet safe to run ST buses over the bridge, an arrangement should be made through another route to give students relief.

Considering the students' studies and examinations, people want the administration of the Public Works Department and the Medha ST Mahamandal to act on the ground and not stop at promises. The entire Kudal area is now watching to see when the ST Mahamandal will take note of the students' trouble and finally start the bus service.