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
Mohan Yadav CM MP
Madhya Pradesh Aims to Be Global Wellness Hub: CM Mohan Yadav at Spiritual and Wellness Summit in Ujjain
UP Tourism
UP to Showcase Its Spiritual, Cultural Grandeur at PATA 2025 in Bangkok; Global Push for Tourism & Investment
Engineers India Limited EIL
Engineers India Ltd Expects 15–20% Rise in Turnover in FY26 Amid Record Order Book - Details Inside
BEL Bharat Electronics Limited
Bharat Electronics (BEL) & Tata Electronics Ink MoU to Boost Indigenous Semiconductor Solutions - Details Inside
Sanjay Malhotra IAS
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra Cuts FY26 Inflation Forecast to 3.7%, Slashes Repo Rate to 5.5% - All Details Inside
ChhattisgarhGovt_resized
59 Police Officers Promoted in Chhattisgarh Police Department, Including 46 Inspectors to DSP Rank - Check Here
Hardeep S Puri: 11 Years of PM Modi
PM Modi’s 11 Years in Office: A Transformative Journey with Bold Strides in the Energy Sector
Karnataka
Karnataka ADGP Hemant Nimbalkar Transferred Amid Fallout from Bengaluru Stadium Stampede - All Details Here
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Monika Singh
Monika Singh’s Life Beyond the Bureaucracy | Video Interview 
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
Modernising Governance: A Digital Transformation in Gangtok
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Abhishek Singh's SECRET: Vipassana, Anthropology & Smart Answer Writing | Video Interview 
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Divyanshu Pal Nagar IFS
5 Years, 5 Mains, 4 Interviews: How Divyanshu Pal Nagar Stumbled in CSE, Triumphed in IFS - A Lesson for Every Aspirant
Divyanshu Pal Nagar’s inspiring five-year UPSC journey shows how perseverance, disciplined self-study,...
ANUBHAV SINGH UPSC IFS 2024
9 Years, 8 Attempts, 7 Failures: How Anubhav Singh Cracked UPSC IFS 2024 with AIR 3 Against All Odds | Exclusive
Anubhav Singh’s inspiring journey to UPSC IFS Rank 3 showcases relentless perseverance, strategic preparation,...
Jogender Sihag
“I Cleared UPSC, But My Grandfather isn’t Here to Hear it,” Jogender Sihag, AIR 521, UPSC CSE 2024
"Life is short; make the most of it, whether in civil service or any other field. Just have a clear vision...
Social Media
Tiger jump Sundarban
Stunning Viral Video Shows Royal Bengal Tiger Making Spectacular 30-Foot Leap Across River in Sunderbans - See It Here
Retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda shared the clip online, which quickly went...
shubham kumar ias marriage
IAS Topper Weds BPSC Topper: Shubham Kumar Marries IRS Officer Priyangi Mehta in Patna; Wedding Video Goes Viral
Topper Couple Alert: Shubham Kumar, Priyangi Mehta’s Wedding Grabs Spotlight in Bihar
parveen kaswan elephant
Elephant Outsmarts Electric Fence! IFS Parveen Kaswan Shares Incredible Video!
In the now-viral 51-second clip, the intelligent giant approaches a wooden pole supporting high-voltage...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Mohan Yadav CM MP
Madhya Pradesh Aims to Be Global Wellness Hub: CM Mohan Yadav at Spiritual and Wellness Summit in Ujjain
UP Tourism
UP to Showcase Its Spiritual, Cultural Grandeur at PATA 2025 in Bangkok; Global Push for Tourism & Investment
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Monika Singh
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
IMG-20250523-WA0036
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT