A schoolboy from Maharashtra’s Palghar district has made an emotional appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, drawing attention to the dangerous route students and residents allegedly have to take every day because of the absence of a proper bridge over the Vaitarna Creek.
The boy, identified as Sohil Sunil Chaudhari, raised the issue in a video shared by Lokshahi Marathi. The video highlights the difficulties faced by students travelling to school in the area and renews the demand for safer connectivity across the creek.
Sohil directly addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and questioned why children still have to risk their lives simply to reach school.
“Honourable Prime Minister of India, Modi Saheb, you say all over the TV that children are the future of India. Then why isn’t there a simple road for children of our age to get an education?” Sohil says in the video.
The schoolboy said that carrying a school bag has become more than just part of his daily routine because the journey itself is filled with fear.
He explained that students are forced to use a route involving a railway track and a bridge, which he described as dangerous.
“We have to walk along that life-threatening railway track and bridge every day. If an express train comes from behind, we tremble with fear,” he says.
The emotional appeal then turned towards Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Sohil referred to major infrastructure projects and questioned why children in his area continue to lack a basic and safe route to school.
“Fadnavis Saheb, you have brought big roads and bullet trains to the entire country, haven’t you? Then why is there only a track of death in our destiny? Give us the road that is our right,” he says.
The video has brought fresh attention to the reported demand for a bridge over the Vaitarna Creek. According to the video, the connectivity problem affects not only students but also residents who depend on the route for their daily movement.
For schoolchildren, the issue is particularly serious as the journey has to be made repeatedly during the school week. The absence of a safer road or bridge has raised concerns about the risks involved in travelling through the existing route.
Sohil’s appeal also highlights a broader issue faced by communities where basic infrastructure remains inadequate despite major development projects being undertaken elsewhere.
His message is simple: students should not have to choose between their education and their safety.
The video has since drawn attention to the demand for administrative action, with residents and students seeking a proper road and bridge that would provide safer access to schools and other essential services.
The appeal comes at a time when connectivity and infrastructure remain important issues for several rural and semi-urban areas of Maharashtra. For the students of the affected area, however, the demand is immediate — a safe route to school without the fear of an approaching train.
