Marmain village leaders seek bridge after flash floods wash away Umpli crossing

NONGPOH, July 25: Village leaders from several settlements in the Marmain area along the Meghalaya-Assam border on Saturday inspected a small vehicular bridge over the Umpli River that was washed away by recent flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall.
According to the local leaders, the bridge served as a vital transportation link for residents of 17 border villages in Meghalaya. It had been constructed through financial contributions from communities on both sides of the interstate border to facilitate the movement of people and goods between the neighbouring states.
Komin Ingti, headman of Khulia village and chairman of the Synjuk ki Rangbah Shnong Marmain Circle, said the bridge was swept away on July 20, 2026, following incessant rainfall and rising river levels. He said the loss of the bridge has severely disrupted transportation and daily activities for residents living along the Meghalaya-Assam border.
Responding to questions on whether officials from the Meghalaya government had visited the site, Ingti said that, as of Saturday, no state officials had conducted an inspection. He added that Dr Tapan Das, MLA from Assam’s Dimoria constituency, had visited the affected area and extended assistance to local residents for the construction of a temporary bamboo bridge to restore connectivity.
Ingti said local village leaders would welcome the construction of a permanent motorable bridge by the Meghalaya government across the Umpli River, stating that such infrastructure would significantly improve transportation, trade and access to essential services for people living in the border region.
He further noted that communities living along the Meghalaya-Assam border share close social and cultural ties with neighbouring villages in Assam and expressed confidence that the people of Assam would not object to the construction of a permanent bridge at the site.
Meanwhile, Diren Klein, headman of Marmain village, urged the Meghalaya government to provide relief and compensation to farmers whose agricultural land was damaged by the recent floods. He said the affected areas stretch from Rongbeta to Khongwing villages.
Klein also appealed to the government to undertake riverbank protection works along vulnerable stretches of the Umpli River. He alleged that recurring landslides and riverbank erosion have resulted in portions of Meghalaya’s land gradually being lost to Assam and called for immediate intervention to prevent further erosion.