Shillong: Five villages in the Garo Hills remain stranded every monsoon as high water levels on the Rengkil River cut off all access. Residents in Nongbak Rengkil, Gindil, Nongbak Ading, Badilpa, and Chibra face isolation because no bridge crosses the waterway. Four of these villages sit in East Garo Hills, while one lies in North Garo Hills.
The area hosts over 1,200 residents connected only by an eight-kilometer kutcha road. This dirt path fails to support even four-wheel-drive vehicles during wet months. A nearby RCC bridge exists, but it links to an entirely different route. The Rengkil River measures 10 meters wide during dry spells, but it expands to nearly 30 meters during the rains. It reaches depths over 3 meters with dangerous currents.
Economic life suffers alongside education. Students frequently miss classes and exams when the river floods. Medical emergencies often turn impossible to resolve. The infrastructure remains underdeveloped despite the village of Mangsang being just 16 kilometers from Rongjeng. Only two lower-primary schools serve the entire population.
Locals expressed frustration over the lack of government action regarding the missing bridge. One villager said, “Most of the villagers depend on agriculture and plantations to survive. However, the lack of a bridge had hampered economic activities, especially during the monsoon or when the river is overflowing.”
The Garo Students’ Union has pushed for change for years. GSU Mangsang president Barnawell Sangma stated that the union approached local MLA Jim Sangma and the chief minister to no avail. The group even drafted a project report for a bridge, but authorities ignored the proposal. Sangma noted, “A basic road is not a luxury but a necessity.” Residents continue to wait for a solution that never arrives.
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