The process of allotting land to 136 families from Bharthapur village, bordering Nepal, which was hit by a boat accident last year, has formally begun following the approval of the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, officials said on Friday (6 Feb 2026).
The families will be rehabilitated in a fully-equipped colony to be built at Semrahna village along the National Highway, as directed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
District Magistrate Akshai Tripathi told reporters that after the cabinet approved the displacement and rehabilitation of 136 families from Bharthapur, the notification was gazetted on Thursday (February 5, 2026).
“A colony will be established in Semrahna village along the state highway. The process of building houses, identifying and allocating agricultural land has started,” 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 offer condolences to the affected families.
Last October 29, a boat carrying villagers returning from the weekly market capsized in the Kaudiyala River. Thirteen people managed to be saved, but nine people, including women and children, drowned. The bodies were found within days, while two children remain missing.
“We have requested the chief minister to attend the bhoomi pujan (foundation ceremony of the country) but no formal program has been communicated yet,” he said, adding that the rehabilitation process has been started as per government guidelines.
Under the government’s housing programme, 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 areas, LED street lights, drinking water facilities and other basic infrastructure. Schools and medical facilities for residents and livestock will also be available nearby, he added.
The cabinet’s approval and the commencement of land identification and allotment caused joy among the affected villagers.
Expressing gratitude to the Chief Minister, displaced residents Santosh Kumar, Kandhai Lal, Lalta Prasad and Rohit Kumar said the move would enable them and future generations to lead a normal life near the markets and the highway.
However, a few elderly villagers, who are emotionally attached to their ancestral land, are still reluctant to relocate even as others try to convince them, officials said.
Located in Mihinpurwa tehsil of Bahraich district, Bharthapur village is geographically vulnerable. It is surrounded on two sides by the Gerua and Kaudiyala rivers, in the north are dense forests and the border with Nepal. With no road connection, residents are completely dependent on boats and have to walk through forest trails amidst the threat of wild animals.
During his visit on 2 November 2025, Mr. Adityanath handed over ex gratia checks of ₹4,000 to the bereaved families and assured them of full government support. He ordered the officials to immediately relocate those who were forced to live amidst dense forests to safer places and suggested that the new colony be named after Bharthapur.
Following Cabinet approval in the last week of January, the administration accelerated recovery 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 yet, officials said.
Published – 06 Feb 2026 10:58 IST
