https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

A Bridge Too Far

When the only bridge connecting a remote border district in Arunachal Pradesh snaps, the Deputy Commissioner Minga Sherpa rises to the occasion- much like a real life hero.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Heroes do not just appear on cinema screens and all the high-octane drama doesn’t just happen in novels. A drama in real life, such as the one which unfolded recently in India’s remotest town in Arunachal Pradesh near the China border, produced heroes which can give the Bollywood stars a run for their money.

The town on the Indo-China border we are talking about is Anini, which is the headquarters of the Dibang Valley district in Arunachal Pradesh. A back of beyond town would be a lame description of Anini. To put things in perspective, Roing, the district headquarter of Lower Dibang Valley, is the nearest urban commercial centre for the people in Anini.  And it takes them a minimum time of 10-12 hours to reach Roing, depending on the road condition.

All hell broke loose recently, right in the middle of the pandemic, when the only bridge connecting Dibang Valley with the rest of India collapsed. Anini, the district headquarters, suddenly became inaccessible.

To make matter worse, this was the second time in a year that the district was cut off from the rest of the country, making it doubly difficult for the administration to provide aid and information to the people amid the Covid pandemic. But the Deputy Commissioner of Dibang Valley, Mr Minga Sherpa, did not get unnerved.

The collapsed bridge

 In an exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Sherpa took us through the challenges faced by the district during these times and how it was a team effort which turned the tide for the administration.

AS REMOTE AS IT CAN GET

In 2001, Dibang Valley got bifurcated in two separate districts: Dibang Valley district and Lower Dibang Valley district. It is among the largest district in Arunachal Pradesh in respect to the area but at the same time it has the lowest population density in the whole country, with around 8,000 people residing in the whole district.

Speaking with Indian Masterminds, IAS officer Minga Sherpa, in charge of Dibang Valley district, said “Up till 2001-02, there was no road which connected the district to the rest of the world and it was entirely dependent on air supplies through helicopters. The main bridge which connects the district got collapsed last month due to which we have been functioning without it and have been using alternate routes for communication and supplies.”

The remote district near India-China border

“Apart from this, the entire district which is spread in an area of 9,000 square kilometers has just two mobile towers, that too 2G towers. Therefore, phone communication is also very difficult. BSNL is the only network service provider in the district and even that does not work properly mainly because of the 2G towers. There are only two-three spots in the district with VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) connectivity through which people use internet,” he added.

WHEN NORMAL LIFE GETS IMPACTED

During such unprecedented times the country is dealing right now, the flow of right information plays a huge role in spreading awareness and conveying a message to people. However, the communication and connectivity gap were barring the administration in doing so. Even the emergency relief takes around a weeks’ time to reach via the fastest route.

Mr. Sherpa said “Roing is our main source of procuring essential goods like fruits, vegetables, ration, construction materials, supplies, etc. Since Roing got hugely affected by the disease, slowly and steadily it entered Anini as well. Almost every person in each village of Anini knows someone or the other in Roing due to which there is frequent travel between the two places.”

Using mini-trucks in providing supplies to people

“Since modern methods of health communication don’t work in Anini, we have to rely on old fashion techniques. As we are currently under lockdown, we are using trucks owned by shopkeepers who visit colony to colony and take orders from people and deliver it. The administration takes care of the fuel and permits of such vehicles,” he added.

Door to door vaccination drive

Teams have been made consisting of members from the administration, health department, and other departments who visit the villages and vaccinate the eligible ones. Apart from this, Covid 19 kits are being provided to each and every member so that people are aware of the dos and don’ts and have the necessary medication.

TEMPORARY BRIDGES TO THE RESCUE

As the major bridge which connects the village collapsed last month, the district administration with the help of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDC) constructed a temporary hanging bridge which is also known as a foot suspension bridge (FSB).

Temporary bridge built for communication

Mr. Sherpa said, “We have vehicles which halt at one side and the members of the administration carry the supplies over the bridge from the other side. Once they cross the bridge, the vehicles are loaded with the supplies which are then taken to the district headquarters. Through these bridges, our frontline workers have been carrying the oxygen cylinders, concentrators, and other medical equipments for the past two months.”

Carrying oxygen cylinders through the temporary bridge

The process of recovering the collapsed bridge has been halted as there was a surge in Covid cases among the personnel of company which is building the bridge.

But all these issues did not deter Mr Sherpa from ensuring the smooth functioning of the district and safeguarding the vital interests of its residents.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
Policing, Trust, and Investment: Insights from IPF - Indian Masterminds
Indian Police Foundation Marks 10 Years, Discussion on How Policing Builds Investor Confidence
Madhya Pradesh football training
Mini Brazil to Germany: Vicharpur’s Young Footballers Get CM Mohan Yadav’s Blessings on Vijayadashami Week
bureaucracy news
Centre Announces Key Bureaucratic Appointments & Deputation Extensions: Neeraj Surendran, Arun G, Anand Mohan Among Key Names
PM Modi CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar Receives Rs. 10,219 Crore from Centre: A Festive Gift On Vijayadashami to Fuel Development & Welfare, Backed by GST Reforms
Chhattisgarh government
Chhattisgarh CM Charts Development Roadmap: Push for Capital Expenditure, Biometric Attendance, & Transparent Governance
Vishnu Deo Sai CM
Chhattisgarh Gets Rs. 3,462 Crore Boost from Modi Government: Here's How CM Sai Pledges To Spend It!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
How Siddhartha Saxena Cracked UPSC CAPF AIR 326 Against All Odds
Dr. S.K
Technology Meets Ecology: IFS Dr S K Srivastava’s Game-Changing Innovations in Forest Management | Eco Warrior Awards 2025 Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Live Interaction
From Cut-off Dates to Coaching & Reforms: UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Assures Aspirants of Fairness, Transparency & a Future-Ready UPSC | UPSC@100
A Century of Service: The UPSC’s Landmark Year Begins. Chairman Ajay Kumar on UPSC’s Centennial: “Merit,...
Giriraj Parihar MPPSC 2024
From Constable to Deputy Collector: Giriraj Parihar’s 9-Year MPPSC Journey | Farmer’s Son, Brother to Five Sisters
From a jail guard to MPPSC 2024 Rank 8, Giriraj Parihar’s nine-year journey of self-study, hard work,...
Ankit MPPSC 2024 Rank 3
From Village Dreams to Deputy Collector’s Chair: Meet Ankit, MPPSC Rank 3 Hindi Medium Topper
Ankit, a Hindi-medium aspirant from Balaghat, secured Rank 3 in MPPSC 2024 and became Deputy Collector...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
Dr. S.K
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT