After 60 years of waiting, Ghazipur villagers inaugurate crowdfunded bridge over Magai river

LUCKNOW: On a quiet Sunday in Kempur Chavni village in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district, history did not arrive with government machinery or political slogans. Constructed of concrete and steel, it is 105 feet long and 9.5 feet wide and spans the Magai River. After 2 years, one month and 18 days of unremitting efforts and raising nearly Rs 1 crore through crowdfunding, the bridge was finally inaugurated by Justice Shekhar Yadav of Allahabad High Court.The bridge was conceived and built by Captain (retired) Ravindra Yadav and inaugurated by Justice Shekhar Yadav of Allahabad High Court in Kyampur Chhavni village.Captain Ravindra Yadav (retd.) is a civil engineer who served in the 55th Engineer Regiment of the Indian Army Corps of Engineers. After 30 years of service, he returned home in January 2024. Disturbed by the difficulties faced by villagers on a daily basis as there was no permanent crossing point, he took the initiative to design and build the bridge with the support of local residents and well-wishers. Construction begins in March 2024 and will be funded entirely through crowdfunding.To mark the significance of the occasion, Ravindra’s home regiment sent a junior officer to attend the inauguration ceremony. After the Times of India report, the project attracted national attention and was followed by inspections by the Department of Public Works and the Indian Army. Both institutions acknowledge the scale and importance of the community-driven effort.The Magai River originates from the Durbarwan village of Azamgarh and flows for more than 200 kilometers through the Mau and Ghazipur districts before joining the Tamsa River and finally converging with the Ganges near Ballia.Although the river at Kyampur is only 70 to 80 feet wide, the lack of bridges has had a profound impact on the region. Kayampur village, home to about 3,500 people, is located directly on the river bank, while about 50 surrounding villages with a total population of more than 70,000 people were forced to relocate 40 kilometers, with the actual distance being 15 kilometers.For decades, villagers have often risked their lives by crossing the river in flimsy boats to reach the Nohara market, district headquarters and district hospital. Incidents of boats transporting schoolchildren capsizing have been reported in the past. Residents insist that they have been waiting for at least 60 years for a solution, despite advice from the district administration to be patient.Ravindra’s Major General Ajay Chaturvedi (retd), who served in Roorkee in 2003-04, donated over Rs 1 lakh to the project and encouraged others to donate. “Ravindra is one of those rare police officers who goes above and beyond the call of duty,” he said. “This bridge bypasses bureaucratic delays and is a testament to grassroots determination and collective action.”In recognition of this initiative, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi conferred the Veterans Achievement Award to Honorary Captain Subedar Ravindra Yadav in September 2025.“For the people of Kanpur and neighboring villages, the bridge now represents not only connectivity but also education, healthcare and opportunities that have been deprived of them for a long time,” an emotional Ravindra told TOI in an interview.