Head. It has been 14 years since the construction of a bridge over the Kamala River that connects Siraha and Dhanusha of the Postal Highway has begun. Locals of Siraha and Dhanusha are compelled to use makeshift wooden bridges constructed at the initiative of local youths to cross the river. Locals have to pay Rs 20 per person for crossing the wooden bridge.

In the past, the municipality used to charge up to Rs 100 which was later increased to Rs 20 in coordination with the Siraha municipality, said Administrative Officer of the municipality, Baliram Yadav. “The municipality has not issued any kind of tender to award the contract. The wooden bridge was constructed at the initiative of local youths to ease the movement. We have coordinated and helped to charge Rs 20 as maintenance cost. ’

Locals, however, have complained that the fees have been collected. “Neither the municipality nor any individual has the right to collect any kind of fee from the people by constructing a wooden bridge over the Kamala River,” said Dinesh Yadav, a local. This kind of extortion is illegal and against the Constitution of Nepal. The municipality should maintain transparency of the collected amount and make commuting free for the people. ’

Every year, with the onset of rains, the floods in the river wash away wooden bridges and the reconstruction of the river is repeating when the river level recedes. Yadav said boats have to travel risky if wooden bridges are washed away during the rainy season.

Siraha-6 ward chair Indrajit Yadav said the locals have been reeling under this problem for years. “People of Siraha, Dhanusha and Saptari districts have to travel risky boats to and from the state capital Janakpur, Jayanagar of India or take around three hours to travel via Mirchaiya and Dhalkebar,” he said.

Ward chair Yadav said that although an agreement was made in 2068 BS to complete the bridge within three years, the contractor has been in limbo due to negligence even though the deadline has been extended time and again. “First, ‘Pappu Construction’ was in the lurch, but it was blacklisted.

Lumbini Builders had taken over the rest of the work. The construction of the bridge has become uncertain after the flood that occurred some four years ago while the work was nearing completion. The deadline of Ashad 2082 BS has also passed,” he said.

The construction of the bridge, which is the lifeline of the Tarai Madhes, has not only been delayed but also uncertainty has created disappointment among the locals.