Despite increasing inflows in the Krishna river, downstream of Prakasam Barrage, lack of a bridge is forcing people in Pamula Lanka, an island village in Krishna district, to depend on boats to reach the mainland.
| Photo Credit: G.N. RAO
While officials have issued a cautionary note to the public asking them not to venture into the Krishna river, in view of the increase in inflows at Prakasam Barrage, that has not stopped the residents of the island villages of Thotlavalluru mandal in Krishna district from crossing the river.
There are eight island villages here, including Pamula Lanka, Kanigiri Lanka, Thodella Dibba, Valluripalem and others, located downstream of Prakasam Barrage. Pamula Lanka, the biggest, has a population of around 2,500.
Whenever there is an increase in the inflows, a motorboat becomes the only mode of transport for these villagers to reach Thotlavalluru or other areas of the mainland. While the villagers lay a temporary road, dirt track, every year, it gets washed away every time the inflows increase in the river. Tardy progress in the sanction of a bridge has forced them to depend on boats for their daily commute during the monsoons.
On Thursday, the barrage received inflows of nearly 3 lakh cusecs, which were discharged downstream. The water in the river, which usually is at 4 feet, had risen to 12 feet, say the villagers.
K. Sambasiva Rao, a fisherman and boat operator said, “It has always been like this. Around two decades ago, politicians promised to construct a bridge across the river. The promise remains unfulfilled till date. ” Sambasiva Rao, meanwhile, charges ₹10 per person for ferrying.
He makes 10 trips every day and there are seven more motorboats, each can carry nearly 30 people. Around 2,000 people cross the river every day between the island villages and Thotlavalluru. The boats, which resume service early morning, continue till 8 p.m. taking agricultural workers, high school and college students, and other people. Some take their motorcycles along with them on the boats.
The eight villages only have primary schools due to which children also have to cross the river every morning as the temporary road to high school gets washed away. While there are no government colleges in Thotavalluru, a government high school came up recently.
“We face countless difficulties during rains. We have to carry empty and loaded cylinders back on boats, ambulances cannot reach us, our children commute by boats. However, fortunately there has been no accident so far. The operators ferry us safely,” said a tired Raghavulu, who got down from a boat carrying an empty cylinder.
The island villages have fertile lands, where commercial crops such as sugarcane, banana, and turmeric are grown. Many from the mainland go to the other side of the river for agricultural work, says Mandal Revenue Officer M. Kusuma Kumari. Many farmers from these villages sell their produce in Vuyyuru and other nearby areas.
The MRO added that while there are fair-price shops and village health clinics in every panchayat, people have to cross the river to visit Thotavalluru for the nearest primary health centre (PHC). Many pointed out how difficult it becomes for pregnant women or people to go the hospital during emergencies.
“However, in emergencies, we send doctors to these villages,” Ms. Kusuma Kumar said, adding that a bridge would solve many of the existing problems.
When asked regarding the matter of bridge construction, Pamarru MLA Varla Kumar Raja said that construction work of a bridge was initiated during the previous TDP tenure but it was stalled in 2020. “After the devastating floods last year, I have taken up the issue with the Chief Minister. At present, ₹42 crore has been approved for the 3-km bridge, but we are waiting for financial clearance,” Mr. Varla Kumar Raja said.
Published – July 31, 2025 11:08 pm IST
