Berhampur: In a show of extraordinary grit and determination, ten students from Sanasahi village under Mohana block in Gajapati district undertake a perilous journey each day, wading through the turbulent Gadapur river to attend school at Badasahi.
Their daily 1.5-km trudge across the river is not just a commute, but a testament to the spirit of learning amidst adversity.
The arduous journey is not limited to children alone. Residents from more than a dozen villages, including Kumbharpada, Ramsing, Gurimera, Betagonda, Bamudipada, Chidangapanka, Lutipadar, Gurujhuli, Balibandha, Gangudipanka, and Rajakhama, are forced to cross the same watery expanse for basic needs like healthcare, marketing, and transport.
Villagers claim that despite repeated pleas for a bridge, their voices have echoed unheard for years.
However, a glimmer of hope has emerged. Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena has recently assured the long-awaited construction of a bridge over the Gadapur river, promising respite from the agonising hardship.
Until then, the river remains both a path and a peril—a silent witness to the indomitable courage of Gajapati’s children, who are scripting a saga of resilience.
