Sedam Residents Cross Flooded River To Carry Out Funeral Amid Bridge Delay

A funeral in Sedam taluk of Kalaburagi district has drawn attention to the lack of basic infrastructure after residents were forced to transport a dead body through the swollen Kamalavathi River. The incident has raised fresh questions about the long pending demand for a bridge on the outskirts of Sedam.

The difficult situation unfolded when relatives and friends of Raju Kalagikar, a former municipal council member and a community leader from Sedam, had to find a way to reach the cremation ground located across the river. Raju Kalagikar passed away unexpectedly two days before the incident. After the final public viewing was held at Basavanagar in Sedam town, the family decided to take the body to the cremation ground situated on the other side of the Kamalavathi River.

The river was flowing at a high level because of the prevailing rainfall, leaving residents with no easy route to the cremation ground. With no usable bridge available at the location, a tractor carrying the body was driven through the river. People who had arrived to attend the funeral also crossed the water with considerable difficulty.

The incident has once again brought the long standing bridge demand in Sedam into the spotlight. Local residents have repeatedly urged the authorities to construct a bridge across the Kamalavathi River, particularly because the route is important for people living in and around the town. The latest incident has intensified concerns because even an essential activity such as transporting a dead body became a dangerous task.

Residents said the problem is not limited to the monsoon season. According to them, the absence of a permanent crossing has affected movement at different times of the year, while the situation becomes particularly difficult when the river receives large amounts of water. During such periods, people are forced to depend on unsafe alternatives to reach the cremation ground.

A proposal for a bridge has already received approval, making the delay even more frustrating for local residents. The Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board had reportedly approved funds of 85 lakh rupees for construction of a bridge across the Kamalavathi River on the outskirts of Sedam. The tender process for the proposed project has also reportedly been completed.

Despite these developments, construction work has not progressed as expected. Residents have alleged that officials have continued to delay the project, citing the presence of substantial water in the river as one of the reasons. People in the area argue that the project should have been taken forward during a period when construction conditions were suitable instead of waiting until the river became difficult to cross.

The latest incident has therefore become more than a matter concerning one family. It has highlighted the everyday difficulties faced by people who depend on this route. The sight of a tractor entering a flowing river to transport a dead body has caused concern among residents and has renewed demands for immediate action.

Local people have questioned why an approved infrastructure project has not been completed despite the repeated difficulties faced by the community. They say a bridge would not only help families reach the cremation ground but would also provide safer connectivity for people living on both sides of the river.

The issue has also attracted attention because Sedam is the home constituency of Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil. Residents expect the government and local authorities to treat the bridge project as a priority and ensure that the approved work moves forward without further delay.

For the family of Raju Kalagikar, the immediate priority was to complete the final rites with dignity. However, the circumstances surrounding the funeral have exposed a wider civic problem that has remained unresolved for years.

Residents now want authorities to move beyond assurances and complete the bridge at the earliest. They believe that no family should have to face a dangerous river crossing while carrying the body of a loved one for the final rites.

The incident has once again shown how the absence of basic infrastructure can turn an already difficult moment into an even more painful experience. For the people of Sedam, the demand is straightforward. They want a safe and permanent bridge across the Kamalavathi River so that such a situation does not happen again.