Locals crossing rickety suspension bridge in Khotang

BY RAJ KUMAR BHATTARAI,Khotang, Oct. 22: Locals of Dikuwa in Khotang district have been forced to cling to the bridge to cross the mighty Sunkoshi River after the suspension bridge over it was damaged by the flood on September 28.

The flood damaged the suspension bridge that connects Dikuwa of Halesi Tuwachung Municipality-2 in Khotang and Nibuwatar of Tapli Rural Municipality-5 in Udayapur district. Since no government body has yet paid attention to repairing the bridge, locals are left with no choice but to cling to it to cross the river. 

The support cables on both sides of the bridge linking Dikuwa and Nibuwatar have snapped and the tower on the Khotang side has tilted, causing the bridge to sag. Despite this, some locals have been risking their lives, crossing the slanted bridge by hanging from it, informed Pramesh Tilung Rai, headmaster of Dikuwa Basic School.

The flood not only damaged the Dikuwa-Nibuwatar Bridge but also swept away the suspension bridges connecting Dikuwa to Charbote and Sorungchhabise of Udayapur's Katari Municipality-10. The bridge connecting Charbote and Sorungchhabise has become completely unusable. With two nearby suspension bridges washed away, locals are now forced to use the Rajdaha Bridge that connects Dikuwa and Nibuwatar as an alternative, which requires a two-hour walk. However, due to the long distance, some locals are still using the damaged bridge, despite the risks. Without the protective mesh, the damaged bridge poses a significant risk of falling into the river.

According to Rai, after the collapse of the suspension, students from Besi Village in Sorungchhabise were unable to attend Dikuwa Basic School. He informed that previously, 16 students from Sorungchhabise used to cross the Sunkoshi Bridge daily to attend school. However, since the bridge became unusable, they had not been able to attend the school. 

The school, which offers education up to grade 8, typically sees students from Sorungchhabise attending classes from early childhood development up to grade 8. A total of 78 students are currently enrolled at the school. After the destruction of the bridge, it has been a challenge to the students to attend the school.

 Meanwhile, 11 students from Dikuwa, who used to cross the bridge daily to attend Mahendra Secondary School in Nibuwatar from grades 9 to 12, have also been unable to attend school.