Baitar locals compelled to use boat to cross river

By Rajkumar Bhattarai,Khotang, Mar. 3: The residents of Halesi Tuwachung Municipality-2, particularly those in Dikuwa Baitar, continue to grapple with transportation challenges as they heavily rely on boats for river crossings.

Despite the displacement of boats in most rivers, the citizens of Baitar continue to retain this age-old mode of transportation. Baitar, home to approximately 100 families, faces the necessity of crossing the Sunkoshi River by boat to access essential services. Their primary market for shopping is Katari in Udayapur, and even for medical treatments, they have to travel to health institutions near Udayapur. The anticipated construction of a suspension bridge on the Sunkoshi River to link Baitar with Katari Municipality-10 in Udayapur, passing through Chhiptar in Sorongchabise, is yet to be completed.

Due to the absence of a suspension bridge, the locals of Baitar have been relying on boats for river crossings, a practice handed down through generations. Nrip Bahadur Rai, a local resident, mentioned that a single boat typically serves the community for approximately three years. Almost all men in the village are adept at boat operation, and the community collectively owns a boat. Rai noted that the municipality has provided financial assistance twice for boat construction, each costing around 100 thousand rupees.

Mekh Bahadur Rai, another local, highlighted the challenges faced during the rainy season when high water levels impede boat operation. Despite these obstacles, the citizens of Baitar depend on this means to bring essential goods like rice, salt, oil, shoes, slippers, iron, and clothes from Katari. Vehicles transport goods to Chhiptar, where the villagers ferry them across using the communal boat. Rai expressed the difficulty of ferrying during the rainy season but emphasized the community's struggles due to the absence of a bridge.

The ward office and health post in Damli, Dikuwa, are situated in a location that is more accessible to the citizens of Baitar when traveling to Katari in Udayapur compared to other options. Geographical challenges and the lack of a bridge over the river compound their difficulties. Locals contend that it's more convenient for Baitar residents to travel to the Terai district or even the capital, Kathmandu, from Udayapur. Although Baitar is only about 17 km away from Katari and connected by a road network, reaching the Halesi Tuwachung Municipality office takes a whole day due to geographical constraints.

The construction of the suspended bridge, contracted to Basanta Budhathoki on May 9, 2019, was expected to be completed within 30 months. The contract, which expired on November 12, 2021, has seen delays and interruptions. Last year, on March 10, 2023, a tower on one side of the bridge collapsed, leading to a halt in construction. While the tower facing Khotang remains intact, the one towards Udayapur has collapsed.

Bishal Rai, principal of Sunkoshi Primary School, revealed that the contractor, who left at the time of the tower collapse, was subsequently arrested. Local authorities and parliamentarians have consistently appealed for the bridge's completion. Recently, State MP Bhupendra Rai, Halesi Tuwachung Municipality Deputy Mayor Ramesh Kumar Raut, Dikuwa Ward President Debendra Rai, and others inspected the site. MP Rai conveyed that the contractor's representatives have returned to the site with the necessary components for the bridge, assuring that construction will resume on Tuesday.

MP Rai emphasized the contractor's commitment to completing the project promptly, stating that no one has the right to subject citizens to unnecessary suffering by stalling development initiatives. He warned of initiating actions if the bridge project faces abandonment again. The state government allocated Rs. 35 million through the Infrastructure Development Office Gaighat to initiate the construction of the bridge.