Rautahat, June 27

Locals are facing problems crossing the Lalbakaiya River this rainy season too as in the previous years due to non-completion of a bridge over the Lalbakaiya River at Gaur Municipality in Rautahat.

The locals have been suffering for the last five years as the contractor Pappu Construction is yet to complete construction of the bridge.

The locals are compelled to cross the river in boats as bridge construction has been left in a limbo. Five persons had lost their lives while crossing the river on a boat last year.

“The authority concerned was mum even though five persons lost their lives after the boat they were traveling in collided with a pillar of the under-construction bridge,” said Ward No 4 Chairperson Bhneshwor Kumar Shahi of Gaur Municipality.

Pappu Construction was awarded the contract worth around Rs 150 million in July 2014 for completing the bridge with a deadline of July 2017.

Pappu Construction’s former owner Hari Narayan Rauniyar had signed the contract for timely completion of the bridge. Ward Chair Shahi added not even 50 per cent work of the bridge had been over till date.

Chandrapur Road Division Chief Daroga Sah said work had not progressed despite the Road Division Office’s frequent warnings for timely completion of the bridge.