After farmer falls to death from rope bridge, MP minister promises permanent structure over nullah

INDORE: Residents of a village in Indore in Madhya Pradesh have dismantled a rope bridge over a nullah (major drain) from which a farmer fell and died recently after state minister Tulsiram Silawat promised to replace it with a permanent structure, a panchayat official said on Friday.

Farmer Premnarayan Patel (45) of Silotia village had fallen off the bridge and into the nullah on Monday, leading to Tilwat, the state's water resources minister, visiting the spot on Thursday.

Silwat announced he would sanction Rs 15 lakh for the new bridge and also handed over Rs 4 lakh as ex-gratia to Patel's kin, as per local officials.

"After Silawat's announcement to build a permanent bridge, people here have dismantled the rope bridge.

We have been demanding a permanent structure over the nullah for the past two decades," Silotia village sarpanch Kamal Patel said.

"People crossed the two-rope bridge with difficulty and risk. They used the bridge to avoid a 6-kilometre road travel to get to their farms," sarpanch Patel added.

Silotia is part of Silawat's Sanver Assembly constituency.