KATHMANDU: Cases of robbery on overhead bridges in Kathmandu have been rising. The purpose of the bridges is to provide safe passage for the commuters on the jam-packed Kathmandu roads, but robbers find it a safe haven these days, said Rama Nembang, who was robbed off her gold chain on one such bridge.

She told The Himalayan Times that after it gets dark, young boys gather on these bridges and wait for their targets. During daytime these bridges are congested due to the street vendors. She was also robbed on Friday on the overhead bridge in Jamal.

She recalls it was not even seven in the evening. "I came from Kamaladi Ganeshthan, used the bridge to go to Ason. It was a rush hour and I preferred to cross the road using the bridge. I used to see a group of boys on the bridge, earlier, too. They stand there chatting, smoking and watching passersby. Suddenly, I felt something unusual on my neck and realised my gold chain had vanished. I went down the stairs and looked for the boys but they had already fled."

Some of the street vendors also complained that such robberies had happened there many times. Police personnel do not patrol these bridges so robbers find it as a safe haven, reasoned Nembang.

"After two days, a friend of mine also faced similar fate on the bridge. If we choose to cross the roads without using these bridges then we risk our lives. If we use them then we have the risk of being robbed. We really are in a dilemma," Nembang added.

Overhead bridges are constructed at places of heavy traffic like Sundhara, New Road, Bir Hospital, Bhotahity, Jamal, Ranadeep and Pulchowk.

The bridges are there to ease commuters but ironically they have become convenient robbers to target unsuspecting passersby.