THANE, June 13 -- After years of battling poor road connectivity, Savarde village on the border of Thane and Palghar districts has finally been granted approval for a permanent bridge. The decision brings long-awaited relief to residents, who have risked their lives for basic access to transportation. The breakthrough comes a year after the tragic death of Bhaskar Padir, a 30-year-old labourer and sole breadwinner of his family, who was swept away in a sudden and unannounced water release from the Middle Vaitarna Dam. HT had in September 2024 written an-in depth story on the hardships villagers faced every monsoon. On June 6, Savarde's sarpanch Hanumant Padir received a letter from the Public Works Department, which announced the proposed construction of a major bridge near the Middle Vaitarna Dam at Sawarde-Dapora-Savarkhut in Palghar district. HT has a copy of the letter. Bhaskar's death had sparked outrage across Savarde and the neighbouring Dapora village in Thane district, both located just five kilometres downstream of the towering 84-metre Middle Vaitarna dam-the third tallest in Maharashtra. Built in 2012, the dam stores 455 million litres of water to help meet the water needs of Mumbai. However, for villagers living in its shadow, the dam has long symbolised both neglect and danger. "After years of struggle, our village has finally received official confirmation of the long-awaited bridge," said Hanumant. "This is the result of relentless community efforts and the strong support of our representatives. MP Hemant Vishnu Savara raised the issue in January 2024, followed by approvals from the BMC commissioner and deputy commissioner (Special Engineering). Their combined efforts moved the administration to act. For us, this bridge stands for safety, dignity, and a hope-filled future. We are grateful-but we will stay vigilant until the bridge becomes a reality." Savarde village has only two shared taxis that charge Rs 200 per trip, taking passengers to Shahapur bus stop. From there, villagers travel by bus to Umbermali station (Rs 20), and then by train to Kalyan (Rs 25). The total cost of commuting often exceeds Rs 500 a week-almost a full day's wage for many villagers, most of whom are daily wage or brick-kiln labourers earning around Rs 500 a day. To reduce these travel costs, villagers, including school-going children, relied on a dangerous shortcut-a makeshift iron bridge that replaced a wooden plank four years ago following intervention by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray. The temporary structure spans the Vaitarna river, offering a cheaper and quicker five-km route to Dapora than the 20-km journey by road. But it has deteriorated over time and remains extremely unsafe, especially during the monsoon when the dam is known to release water without prior warning, swelling the river within seconds. Five others had drowned in the river before Bhaskar's death last year finally united the villages in protest. Demanding accountability and long-term infrastructure, residents staged rallies, sent petitions and sought help from political leaders. Their efforts finally bore fruit when sarpanch Padir confirmed receiving the official letter sanctioning the construction of a permanent bridge. "This is a victory for the entire village," he said. "We've fought long and hard for this. This bridge will not only connect two villages but also save lives." For Bhaskar's wife, Gangubai, who is still grieving her husband's loss, the news brings bittersweet comfort. Sitting outside her modest home, she said, "Bhaskar didn't live to see this day, but I'm happy that no other wife and mother will have to go through what I did. This bridge is a blessing-even if it comes too late for me personally."...