Agali: Every school morning in Sambarcode begins with an anxious lesson in crossing a bridge that has remained damaged and unrepaired for years. Even eight years after it was washed away in a flood, children in the region continue to reach their schools by walking across the structure using bamboo planks laid to create a makeshift path.

On this journey fraught with risk, they are accompanied only by their parents, who stand guard as they help them navigate the fragile crossing. Once they cross the bridge, Agali town is just a five-minute walk away; otherwise, they are forced to take a detour of nearly five kilometres.

As schools reopened on Monday, children at Sambarcode once again embarked on this journey marked by anxiety and fear. The concrete bridge, which connects Sholayur and Agali panchayats near Agali town, has been severely damaged, with its railings, surface and approach road all washed away in strong currents. What once allowed even ambulances and small vehicles to pass is now barely fit for pedestrian use.

During the monsoon, the journey becomes even more hazardous and distressing. For emergencies, vehicles must now take a detour of around five kilometres to reach the area.

While students from tribal settlements in the region are provided with `Gothrasarathi’ transport services, concerns are mounting over how long others will be left to depend on such a dangerous commute.