Vehicles rely on ferry service in absence of bridge

By Sher Bahadur Sarki, Bajura, April 10: Vehicles operating in Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality, located in the northeastern part of the district across the Karnali River, continue to rely on a ferry service due to the absence of a permanent bridge over the river.

The Karnali River, which lies between Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality and Jagannath Rural Municipality, has long lacked a concrete bridge, forcing vehicles and locals to rely on a ferry for transportation.

A local of Swamikartik Khapar -2, Birbhane BK, said that people still have to cross the river using a ferry.

“We have to cross the Karnali River with the help of a suspension bridge. There is only one suspension bridge here, and no concrete bridge. Because of the lack of a permanent bridge, vehicles here are operated only through the ferry service,” he said.

He added that despite repeated demands for a permanent bridge, the issue has yet to be addressed.

“Although we have raised the demand for a bridge over the Karnali River, our demand has not been fulfilled so far,” he said.

According to him, transportation services are available through the ferry during the winter season. However, during the monsoon, the ferry service is suspended due to increased water flow in the Karnali River, leaving locals without reliable transport.

Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality lies across the Karnali River and has long faced transportation difficulties, especially during the rainy season. As the river separates it from Jagannath Rural Municipality, the lack of a permanent bridge continues to affect mobility and connectivity.

Although road networks have recently reached all wards of the rural municipality, vehicles can operate only during the winter months. In the rainy season, vehicles stop at Pilichaur as the strong river current forces the ferry service to shut down.

Chairperson of Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality Bharat Rokaya said that the lack of a permanent bridge has compelled vehicles to rely on ferry.

"We have made efforts in many places for the construction of a permanent bridge over the Karnali River. Those efforts are continuing,” he said.

He further said that if a concrete bridge is constructed, transportation services would remain smooth throughout both winter and monsoon seasons, greatly benefiting the local communities.