Children Take Turns Rowing A Boat To Ferry 50 Students To School Every Day In Bihar's Nalanda
Rural Works Department engineer Munita Kumari said final approval for the bridge on the Sakri River between Sakuchidih and Sakuchisarai villages has yet to come.
Published : February 26, 2026 at 6:58 PM IST
Nalanda: "If we go by road, we will have to travel 10 kilometres. If we leave at 6 in the morning, it will be 12:30 pm. Therefore, we are forced to come to school by boat," Sudha Kumari, student, rued.
Another student, Kareena Kumari, said there is no problem with studying. But we just have to row the boat. "We want to become doctors. We demand that a bridge be built as soon as possible so that we don't have to risk our lives every day," she added.
These girls of Sakuchidih village under Giriyak block of Bihar's Nalanda have to row a boat to ferry 50 other children to school every day. During the monsoon, the strong water current in the river forces them to put their studies on hold. Sakuchidih is a vivid example of the glaring gap between the government's claims on education and the ground reality. The children here not only bear the burden of books, but also the helplessness of pedalling the oar with their tiny hands.
Located about 30 kilometres from the district headquarters, Sakuchidih is still cut off from the mainstream of development. From children to villagers, the only means for their daily needs is to cross the river. Sakuchidih and Sakuchisarai villages have a combined population of 1,000, but there is no bridge, no proper boat system, and no trained boatmen. There is only one boat to cross the river, which is operated by the children, not out of choice but compulsion.
The promise to build a bridge was made in the election manifestom which never got materialised. Under the Chief Minister's Rural Bridge Scheme, a 96.84-metre bridge was to be constructed over the Sakri River between Sakuchidih and Sakuchisarai with an estimated Rs 6.20 crore. However, work is yet to begin.
The construction of the bridge was scheduled to begin in July 2025. Seven months have passed since the foundation stone was laid. However, not a single brick has been laid. Women villagers said neither a contractor nor a department official was seen since the foundation stone was laid. "There is no market or shop in the village. Even buying a small plate requires crossing the river. Everyone asks for votes, but no one builds a bridge," Daulati Devi, a villager, said.
Sakuchidih has a school from Classes one to five. For higher studies, children have to cross the Sakri River to reach Sakuchisarai. When the water level is high, or a boat is unavailable, villagers and children have to take a 10-kilometre detour via the Govardhan Bigha or Manpur bridges to cover just a kilometre.
Surprisingly, the administration has not provided any ferry service. Leaving with no choice, villagers started crowdfunding to improvise an old boat."During the rainy season, when the river is overflowing, expert boatmen from the village help children row. Otherwise, they have to leave their studies," Sudha said.
With the new academic session beginning in April, students are requesting the government to build a bridge for their daily commute. Dharmendra Kumar, a science teacher at the upgraded middle school in Sakuchisarai, said children from 14 nearby villages attend the school. Of them, 50 are from Sakuchidih, including 30 girls, who come here by boat.
"The weather is fine now. But during the rainy season, the village loses contact. Despite this, children who are eager to study risk their lives. Sometimes, there is a fear of losing the balance," he said.
Munita Kumari, executive engineer of the Rural Works Department (Rajgir), told ETV Bharat that permission had not been granted for the construction of the bridge, and they hoped to receive the final approval soon. "The foundation stone for the bridge over the Sakri River near Sakuchidih has been laid. On the orders of senior officials, the detailed project report has been sent to headquarters for re-evaluation. It has not yet been approved, which is why work has not begun," she added.
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