Rajbiraj, April 18

After the collapse of a makeshift bamboo bridge over Khado Khola in Dasgaja area of Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality, hundreds of locals along the India-Nepal border have been facing a hard time for the last one week in Saptari.

Locals of more than a dozen villages in Saptari have to reach Kunauli Bazaar of Supaul, India, to purchase their daily essentials every day. The locals used the makeshift bridge for want of a concrete bridge at the Dasgaja area. “The residents of Belhi, Tilathi, Sakarpura, Koiladi, Madhepura, Rampuramlhaniya, Barsain, Banarjhula, Lokharam, Ranjitpur and Gorgama, among other villages of the district, have no option but to go to Kunaul Bazaar to buy their daily essentials,” said a Tilathi youth Niraj Kumar.

“We have been facing a hard time traveling across the border after the makeshift bridge collapsed. It is unfortunate that we don’t have even a single bridge to connect Kunauli and Saptari despite the fact that there is a lot of inter-dependence. Nobody has taken any initiative to construct a permanent bridge over the stream  yet,” said  Dilip Raya of Ranjitpur.

There is direct trade link between Darbhanga, Patna, Delhi and other cities from Kunauli, which is a trade hub for Saptari folks as well.

“Though there is Rajbiraj Customs Office at the border point, it is hard to import goods for want of a bridge,” regretted Saptari Chambers of Commerce and Industry chairperson Arun Kumar Pradhan.

The bamboo bridge had been constructed with the help of local Jokhan Raya. His grandson Ram Chandra was taking care of the bridge after the demise of his grandfather. “We are planning to provide Rs 50,000 to Ram Chandra for immediate repair of the bridge,” said Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality Chair Satish Kumar Singh.