Goa, May 30 -- For the past five years, residents of Sonal ward in Sanvordem-Sattari have endured severe difficulties during the monsoon season, as the only road linking them to Valpoi town becomes completely submerged whenever the nearby Mhadai River overflows. With floodwaters rising nearly two metres, the ward-home to dozens of families-ends up entirely cut off, with no alternative access route.

This recurring crisis disrupts everyday life, hitting schoolchildren and dairy farmers especially hard. Students commuting to Sanvordem Secondary School and other institutions in Valpoi are often unable to attend classes, while local dairy farmers struggle to deliver milk to the town.

Despite multiple assurances from authorities over the year...