BAJURA, MAY 9
The suspension bridge at Bhaisagad, connecting Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality and Jagnnath Rural Municipality over the Karnali River collapsed in 2079 BS. The collapse has left over a thousand households in Sappata Bazaar without direct access to the market in Bajura District for two years.
Constructed in 2052 BS, the bridge was essential for residents of Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality-1 and 2, as well as Jagnnath Rural Municipality-3, 4, and 5. Its collapse disrupted daily life, particularly impacting access to Berma Bazaar in Jagnnath Rural Municipality from Sappata Bazaar.
Muktikot Village in Sappata, the poorest in the district with 400 households, has been hit hard by the collapse. The lack of direct road access to the market has exacerbated food shortages, creating a crisis in the village.
It used to take an hour to reach Berma Bazaar, but now it takes more than three hours due to the longer route, hindering access to essential services like medical treatment, according to the rural municipality chair Bharat Bahadur Rokaya
The Ministry of Finance has allocated a budget of 3 crores for the construction of a new 300-meter-long suspension bridge linking Berma to Baluwa, Rokaya informed while adding that communication with the ministry has been ongoing, with the tender process expected to commence soon.
In Asar 2079 of Nepali Calender, heavy rainfall led to the collapse of numerous bridges across the Karnali River, affecting regions spanning Humla, Mugu, Bajura, Kalikot, Achham, and Dailekh.
