2025 boat accident in Bahraich: Process begins to resettle 136 families

The process for allotting plots to 136 families from Nepal-bordering Bharthapur village, which was hit by a boat accident last year, formally began after approval from the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, officials said on Friday (February 6, 2026).

The families will be rehabilitated in a fully equipped colony to be developed at Semrahna village along the National Highway, as per the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

District Magistrate Akshai Tripathi told reporters that after Cabinet approval for the displacement and rehabilitation of 136 families of Bharthapur, the notification was published in the gazette on Thursday (February 5, 2026).

"A colony will be developed at Semrahna village along the National Highway. The process of construction of houses, identification and allotment of agricultural land has been initiated," he said.

Mr. Tripathi recalled that after the October 29, 2025, boat tragedy in Bharthapur, the Chief Minister conducted an aerial survey on November 2 and visited the village to express condolences to the affected families.

On October 29 last year, a boat carrying villagers returning from a weekly market capsized in the Kaudiyala River. Thirteen people were rescued, but nine people, including women and children, drowned. The bodies were recovered over several days, while two children remain missing.

"We have requested the Chief Minister to visit for the bhoomi pujan (ground-breaking ceremony), but no formal programme has been communicated yet," he said, adding that the rehabilitation process has been set in motion as per government directives.

Under the government Housing Scheme, each family will be allotted a permanent house to ensure a safe and dignified life, the DM said.

The proposed colony will have proper drainage, concrete roads, green spaces, LED streetlights, drinking water facilities and other essential infrastructure. Schools and healthcare facilities for residents and livestock will also be available nearby, he added.

The Cabinet approval and initiation of land identification and allotment have brought cheer among the affected villagers.

Displaced residents Santosh Kumar, Kandhai Lal, Lalta Prasad and Rohit Kumar expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister, saying the move would enable them and future generations to lead a normal life near markets and the highway.

However, a few elderly villagers, emotionally attached to their ancestral land, are still reluctant to relocate, though others are trying to persuade them, officials said.

Bharthapur village, located in Mihinpurwa tehsil of Bahraich district, is geographically vulnerable. It is surrounded by the Gerua and Kaudiyala rivers on two sides, dense forests to the north and the Nepal border. With no road connectivity, residents depend entirely on boats and must traverse forest trails amid the threat of wild animals.

During his visit on November 2, 2025, Mr. Adityanath handed over ex gratia cheques of ₹4 lakh each to the bereaved families and assured them of full government support. He had directed officials to immediately relocate those forced to live amid dense forests to safer locations and suggested that the new colony be named after Bharthapur.

Following Cabinet approval in the last week of January, the administration has expedited rehabilitation efforts. Preparations, including arrangements for a helipad, are being made in anticipation of a possible visit by the Chief Minister for the foundation-laying ceremony, though no official schedule has been announced so far, officials said.