Compensation issue delays operation of Seti Khola Bridge in Sarlahi

By Janarjan Khatri,Sarlahi, June 20: It has been two years since a bridge over the Seti Khola in Purainiya, Ward No. 12 of Barahathawa Municipality of Sarlahi under Naya Road-Barahathawa-Madhubani road section was ready. But it has not yet come into operation, thanks to the compensation issue. 

More than Rs. 40 million was spent to build the bridge, but it has been left unused after a landowner demanded compensation for the land used for building an approach road. The landowner has also had a court order in his favour. As a result, the access road is yet to be built. 

The Postal Highway Project, Janakpur, issued a notice that a local resident, whose land falls on the north of the bridge, prevented the construction of an approach road by seeking compensation for more than 16 dhur of land, and producing a stay order issued by the court. 

The bridge and the access road on the southern side are built in a public land. However, on the northern side, the road construction has been delayed due to private land issue. The landowner on the northern side has not yet agreed to allow the road to be built demanding compensation.

Engineer Ranjit Kumar Raya of the Postal Highway Project, Janakpur, stated that although the bridge was completed two years ago, problems arose when attempts were made to construct the access road on the northern side, as the landowner obstructed the work. According to him, most of the roads of the Postal Highway so far have been built on private land, and no one had demanded compensation.

The Bridge Construction Authority and the Postal Highway Project have stepped down from building the access road following an order from the High Court, Janakpur, which directed that compensation must be provided to the landowner before proceeding with the approach road building task. After receiving the instructions to compensate landowner before building the access, the Federal Ministry of Physical Infrastructure has resubmitted the file, said Raya.

The decision on whether to compensate landowner must be made by the cabinet level meeting.  Engineer Raya stated, “Nowhere the landowners were compensated while constructing the Postal Highway. After facing the issue in Barahathawa, despite attempts to negotiate through various agencies and mediums, the landowner refused to accept compensation, forcing us to submit the file to the Ministry.”

According to Raya, “In coordination with the District Administration Office and Municipality Office, discussions with the landowner have been going on, but no agreement on compensation has been reached. Due to the compensation dispute, the newly constructed bridge remains non-operational, forcing vehicles to use the narrow old bridge, which poses significant risks."

Ward Chairperson of Ward No 12, Ramji Raya Yadav said, “The old bridge is extremely narrow with broken railings and accidents on it are frequent.”

 “Despite having a wide bridge nearby, people are forced to use the narrow bridge. The old bridge can collapse at any time.”

Under the same Naya Road–Barahathawa–Madhubani road section, construction of a new bridge near the Barahathawa Bazaar is also in progress to replace rickety Chorniya bridge.