Locals face hardship in lack of bridge over Safa Khola

By Janarjan Khatri,Sarlahi, Feb. 14: Sarlahi locals have been facing difficulties due to the lack of a bridge over the Safa Khola, which marks the boundary of Brahmapuri Rural Municipality and Haripurwa Municipality.

Although Hume pipes and culverts are constructed annually to connect Pipara in Brahmapuri-6 and Dhankaul in Haripurwa-3, they are washed away by floods during the monsoon season. 

Last fiscal year, Brahmapuri Rural Municipality spent Rs. 650,000 on a culvert, which was later destroyed by heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding in October last year. 

The remains of the washed-away culvert are still stranded in the middle of the river. Residents of Haripurwa Municipality use the Safa Khola route to travel to the district headquarters, Malangwa. At the same time, locals from Brahmapuri and Chandranagar rural municipalities rely on this route to access Haripurwa.

Lal Babu Mahato, a farmer from Badkurwa in Chandranagar-3, who sells vegetables at local markets, expressed his frustration over the lack of a bridge. He said the route becomes impassable during the monsoon and even in winter he has to wade through water to cross the river.

Mahato recounted a harrowing experience from last October when his motorcycle got stuck in the middle of the river, while he was transporting vegetables to Haripurwa Bazaar. 

“If the motorcycle engine stops midway, it creates serious problems. We have no option but to cross the river by risking our safety,” he said.

Residents of the southeastern region of the district use the Safa Khola route as the primary route to reach Malangwa. Ram Kailash Ray, a local from Pipara in Brahmapuri-6, said that the route often remains blocked for weeks during the monsoon. 

Due to the lack of a bridge, people from over half a dozen villages in Sarlahi, as well as nearby areas in Mahottari district, are facing immense hardship.” Locals of Basantpur, Haripurwa and various villages in Mahottari, along with those from Brahmapuri and Chandranagar, are facing difficulties due to the absence of a bridge. A permanent concrete bridge will be a great relief,” said Ray. After years of repeated damage to Hume pipes and culverts, Brahmapuri Rural Municipality has now initiated efforts to construct a permanent concrete bridge over the Safa River.

Hirendra Kumar Yadav, the Ward Chairperson of Pipara in Brahmapuri-6, informed that they are seeking support from federal and provincial governments for the construction of a permanent bridge.