Saralnama
Residents of nine panchayats along the Nagavali River in Parvatipuram Manyam district rely on unsafe boats to cross the river and access the mandal centre, especially during the rainy season. The river is about 5 km wide, and crossing by boat is much shorter than the 70-km road journey, which many find costly. The state government approved the construction of a bridge between Poornapadu and Labhes in 2006, but after nearly 19 years, the bridge remains incomplete. Work stalled due to contractor payment disputes under the previous YSRC government. Ahead of the 2024 elections, the TDP promised to complete the bridge if the NDA coalition came to power. The current government sanctioned Rs 5.26 crore and floated tenders for Rs 3.34 crore, but no contractor has bid, citing insufficient funds. Villagers have urged the government to allocate adequate funds to finish the bridge and to provide new boats to replace the unsafe vessels currently in use. CPM leader Kolli Sambamurthy highlighted the dangers faced by villagers and called for immediate government action to resolve the transportation crisis faced by communities along the Nagavali River. (Updated 24 Aug 2025, 23:36 IST; source: link)