In Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district, locals of nearly 40–50 villages located in the submergence zone of the Mohanpura Dam travel by boat every day. People cross the water, putting their lives at risk, without any safety apparatus.
They are fearful. They worry about their families. Despite this, they continue to take the risk. They do have another route available. However, that route is much longer and takes more time. Traveling late at night is also a risky affair.
These scenes are from Udpuriya and Raipuriya villages in Rajgarh block. To save time and money, villagers have arranged an alternative route on their own through the submerged area of the dam. Hundreds of people use boats daily to cross this stretch.
Villagers say that before the dam was built, a direct road connected nearly 40–50 villages to the city. This road allowed them to reach Biaora, the district’s largest town, in less time and at lower cost.
In 2017, when the dam reservoir filled, that road and the bridge were submerged. Since then, people have relied on boats. They cross the water along with their two-wheelers. No authority regulates or stops the movement.
Boat operators explain that it’s not their choice to put other people’s lives at risk. They say that if the road and culvert are rebuilt, they would immediately stop operating boats and return to other work.
The Ground Report team spoke to Mohanpura dam project manager Ashok Dixit about the issue. He said that the villages from where boats are operating are already recorded as part of the submergence zone. Compensation has already been paid to the villagers.
According to him, residents are now living in the upper parts of their villages and have built houses there. The bridge being referred to was submerged in 2017. Even if a bridge existed today, it would be under nearly 30 feet of water.
He added that, as per records, there is no officially recorded population for whom a bridge needs to be built. There is also no proposal from the department. He said that those who want to reach Biaora can use the rapta (causeway path) constructed downstream of the dam and take a diversion from there.
He described boat operations in the reservoir as a law-and-order issue. According to him, responsibility for this lies with administrative authorities, not with the project.
Villagers, however, say that half of their land has been submerged while the other half remains. This is why they continue to live there. They did not anticipate that the dam would be filled to such an extent that the road connecting them to the city would be completely cut off.
At the time, people were focused on compensation and rehabilitation. The future of roads and bridges was overlooked. What was meant to bring water security has now become a daily hardship. The impact is not limited to the officially submerged villages. Livelihoods in the surrounding areas have also been affected.
Villagers say that if they do not use the boat, they have to travel nearly 60 kilometers to reach Biaora. Out of a daily wage of ₹300, ₹100–200 is spent on petrol. In such a situation, the boat remains the cheapest option.
Public Works Department (PWD) Sub-Divisional Officer Premnarayan Dhanwal says that the submerged road and culvert belonged to his department. According to him, they were submerged due to the Water Resources Department (WRD) project, and responsibility for building a new bridge lies with that department. PWD has not received any payment for reconstruction.
Today, villagers are left with only two choices: take a long detour or risk their lives every day.
Rajgarh SDM Nidhi Bhardwaj says the matter has been taken cognizance of. She says efforts are being made to find a permanent solution in coordination with all concerned departments.
Residents living in the Mohanpura Dam submergence zone are caught between development and governance. On paper, their villages are marked as submerged, and compensation has been paid. On the ground, however, people are still forced to travel by boat every day for work and medical needs. This is not just a matter of a road or a bridge. It is about the everyday lives of people who are forced to decide daily whether to take a longer journey or risk a longer life.
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