Archive · 29 Sep 2026
Assam Schoolchildren Risk Boat Crossings as Villagers Demand Permanent Bridge
Children in Chengajan Gowala have to ride small boats to reach school.
They cross the Lali River and Buri Sauti.
Strong currents and too few boats can make the journey dangerous.
Sometimes children wait for hours or arrive late to class.
Other villagers use the same boats to reach hospitals, markets, farms and medicines.
People in the village want a permanent bridge to make travel safer.
They also want better healthcare and veterinary services nearby.
Villagers say officials have heard their requests, but the bridge has not been built.
They also reported that a girl recently died after falling into the river, but this could not be independently confirmed.
Children in Chengajan Gowala rely on small boats to cross the Lali River and Buri Sauti on their way to school.
Villagers say strong currents, limited boats and long waits make crossings dangerous and cause students to arrive late or miss school.
Patients, pregnant women, farmers, traders and other residents also depend on the boat service for essential travel.
Residents are demanding a permanent bridge, a sub-health centre, improved medical services and veterinary facilities.
Villagers say repeated appeals and assurances have not produced a bridge; a reported recent drowning death could not be independently verified.
- Who
- Schoolchildren and residents of Chengajan Gowala, including patients, pregnant women, farmers, traders and livestock owners; resident Chandan Majhi described the problem.
- What
- Students and other residents are using small boats to cross the Lali River and Buri Sauti while demanding a permanent bridge and improved essential services.
- When
- The report gives no publication date; villagers referred to a reported death a few days earlier, while earlier boat-related reports were published in 2022 and August 2026.
- Where
- Chengajan Gowala village in Jonai subdivision, Dhemaji district, Assam, at the confluence of the Lali River and Buri Sauti.
- Why
- Villagers say the crossings are dangerous and unreliable and disrupt access to education, healthcare, agriculture, trade and other essential activities.
- Location
- Chengajan Gowala village, Jonai subdivision, Dhemaji district, Assam
- School route
- Students cross the Lali River and Buri Sauti by small boats
- Main demand
- A permanent bridge at the confluence of the Lali River and Buri Sauti
- Reported risks
- Strong currents, limited boats, long waits and possible falls into the water
- Other users
- Patients, pregnant women, farmers, traders and other residents
- Additional demands
- A sub-health centre, improved medical services and veterinary facilities
- Earlier reports
- Boat-dependent school travel in Jonai was also reported in 2022 and August 2026
