Bamboo bridges or boats, they are all in a day’s work for Duare Tran teams.

Government officials and employees, tasked with verifying applications for the state’s Duare Tran (relief on doorstep) scheme, have to cross damaged roads and overflowing rivers to reach remote pockets of the Sunderbans to meet people affected by Cyclone Yaas.

Officials said at Kakdwip in South 24-Parganas, a team led by government employee Lakshmi Sarkar had to walk for 200 metres on a 10-inch-wide makeshift bamboo bridge.

“She (Lakshmi) sent us a video and picture of how difficult it was for them to reach the (potential) beneficiaries. If she had slipped from the makeshift bridge, she would have fallen into waist-deep water from a considerable height. The areas are still under water because of Cyclone Yaas and rain,” said a senior official in the district.

Officials said areas under Ramakrishna gram panchayat of Kakdwip, where saline water overflowed on embankments during Yaas, remain inundated. Villagers made a bridge with three bamboo sticks to reach the nearest road.

At a few places, officials waded through knee-deep water and muddy embankments to verify beneficiaries. Some had to take boats to reach coastal islands amid rain.

Stung by complaints of malpractices over relief in cash and kind after Cyclone Amphan last year, the state government has this time started Duare Tran to make relief distribution transparent. The drive started on June 3 and the government accepted damage-claim applications till June 18. Officials have been asked to finish verifying them by June 30. Once done, money will be sent to bank accounts of the beneficiaries by July 8.

Nabanna sources said 3,59,487 applications seeking relief for damage to homes and crops were submitted at Duare Tran camps from six districts of the state.

The worst-hit were South and North 24-Parganas and East Midnapore.

“After Yaas, heavy rain worsened the situation in many places. Add to that the threat of high tide on June 26 (Saturday). It is a challenge for us to finish the task within deadline,” said an official in Gosaba, South 24-Parganas.

Officials in North 24-Parganas cited remote locations at Sandeshkhali and Hingalganj. “There are many pockets in those areas where our officials can’t reach by bike. They have to walk, which takes a lot of time,” said Sumit Gupta, the district magistrate.