📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ms Sarah Welch
Education
Gariyaband bridge repair makes schoolchildren's climb steeper
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 11 Sep 2026, 03:18 AM
👁 19
A recent repair of the Gariyaband bridge in Chhattisgarh has resulted in a steeper approach, making it harder for schoolchildren to cross safely.
Local authorities in Gariyaband, Chhattisgarh, have completed a repair work on a key bridge that connects several villages to the town centre. The work, intended to strengthen the structure, altered the gradient of the access ramp, creating a noticeably steeper climb for pedestrians.
Students who use the bridge daily to reach their schools have reported difficulty navigating the new slope, especially during the monsoon season when the surface becomes slippery. Parents and teachers have raised concerns that the change could increase the risk of slips and falls among younger children.
The district administration has acknowledged the feedback and said it will assess the situation to determine whether additional safety measures, such as handrails or anti‑slip surfacing, are required. No further details on a timeline for corrective action have been released.
The incident highlights the challenges of infrastructure upgrades in rural areas, where modifications intended to improve safety can inadvertently affect daily routines of vulnerable groups like schoolchildren.
Students who use the bridge daily to reach their schools have reported difficulty navigating the new slope, especially during the monsoon season when the surface becomes slippery. Parents and teachers have raised concerns that the change could increase the risk of slips and falls among younger children.
The district administration has acknowledged the feedback and said it will assess the situation to determine whether additional safety measures, such as handrails or anti‑slip surfacing, are required. No further details on a timeline for corrective action have been released.
The incident highlights the challenges of infrastructure upgrades in rural areas, where modifications intended to improve safety can inadvertently affect daily routines of vulnerable groups like schoolchildren.