Bridge

When the only bridge connecting Dibang Valley to the rest of India snapped in the middle of the pandemic, IAS officer Minga Sherpa knew it could prove disastrous for COVID-affected families in the district. What he did next is truly inspiring governance.

India's first female civil engineer, Shakuntala A Bhagat, pioneered many innovative designs and founded Quadricon — a Mumbai-based construction firm that's designed 200 bridges across the world, including UK, USA and Germany.

“The most moving moment was the reaction of the villagers on the other side. Their eyes welled up in joy and that was the biggest achievement of the day for us!”

"We requested officials and local people's representatives for completion of the bridge, but no one paid any heed towards our demand. With no other option in sight, I decided to shoulder the responsibility," said sexagnerian Gangadhar Rout. #Respect #Inspiration

Under construction across the valley of river Ijai near Noney with a pier height of 141 meters (462.598 feet), it will "surpass the existing record of 139 meters of the Mala-Rijeka Viaduct in Montenegro in Europe."

“The train was running at the speed of about 50km/hour. We were just 50-60 meters away when I saw the bridge collapsing. It happened right in front of me.”

"What we are doing right now may endure for few years only, but as I strongly believe, we should not depend on the government all the time. All we need is a strong willpower and determination."

Build under the Project Himank, this challenging project was completed in a limited working window and removes a major bottle-neck in Leh's Nubra Valley!

Using over three lakhs from his provident fund after his retirement and taking some financial help (as part of shramdaan) from villages in the vicinity, Santu built a 70-feet long, strong permanent bridge.

Reports suggest that the death toll in India from the derailment of trains in 2016-17 is the highest it has been in 10 years