Bridge connects Susta residents with Nepali identity

By Bomlal Giri, Nawalpur, June 11: Susta Rural Municipality–5 in Nawalparasi district has only one school, the Shree Janata Dalit Basic School, which offers education up to Grade 8. To study in Grade 9, students previously had to either travel through Bihar in India to reach B.P. Secondary School in Balingar, Nepal, or cross the Narayani River by boat. Because of the difficulty of this journey, many children in the village were unable to continue their education beyond Grade 8.

For the residents of Susta, even local movement required passing through Indian territory, along with a risky boat journey. The hardships and harassment reportedly faced from the Indian border security force (SSB) and local residents are unlikely to be forgotten by the community. Surrounded by the Narayani (Gandak) River, people were compelled to undertake a dangerous 2.5-kilometre boat ride to reach their own ward office, Rural Municipality centre, or Triveni Bazaar.

However, according to Susta Rescue Campaign coordinator Adam Khan, those difficulties have now largely ended. “The risky boat travel during the rainy season and the compulsion to use Indian routes has ended,” he said. “The longest suspension bridge in Nepal built over the Narayani has transformed Susta and strengthened the Nepali identity of its people.”

The 1,571-metre-long and 1.6-metre-wide suspension bridge, connecting Pakhlihawa in West Nawalparasi to Susta Rural Municipality–5, now allows pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and scooter users to travel with ease. There has been a noticeable increase in the movement of motorcycles across the bridge.

Susta Rural Municipality Deputy Chair Gita Chaudhary said the situation has improved significantly for children who previously had to either drop out after Grade 8 or migrate to India due to unsafe travel conditions. “As soon as it rained during the monsoon, transport by boat would stop due to risk, cutting off all movement. The connection of Susta with other areas would be severed. That situation no longer exists,” she said.

Security concerns over the bridge

The bridge construction company, Trishuli Ashraya JV Construction, has not yet formally handed it over. Although built at a cost of Rs. 236,598,800, safety concerns have already emerged.

There is no mechanism to control load on the suspension bridge. The practice of carrying three to four people on a single motorcycle and multiple motorcycles crossing at once has raised serious safety risks, according to Deputy Chair Chaudhary.

Chairperson of Susta Rural Municipality, Tek Narayan Upadhyay, said the threat is not only from Nepali users but also from Indian visitors. He said that goods from Uttar Pradesh are often cheaper than in Bihar, leading some visitors to load large quantities of goods onto motorcycles while crossing the bridge, increasing the risk.

Although the Division Office and District Administration Office have instructed a ban on motorcycles on the bridge, local authorities say enforcement has not been possible.

Boost in internal tourism

Following the construction of the bridge, internal tourism activity in the area has increased significantly. Ward Chair Prabhu Nath Ahir of Susta–5 said crowds now gather to observe the bridge. Local residents are also reportedly excited by the development.

Deputy Chair Chaudhary added that residents from neighbouring districts as well as the bordering Indian areas are visiting in large numbers. “It feels like a fair every day. Thousands of people visit the bridge daily. Those visiting Triveni Dham also make it a point to come here,” she said. “We expect this to boost tourism and bring economic benefits.”

Former headteacher of Shree Janata Dalit Basic School, Uday Bahadur Ruchan, also expressed optimism that the bridge would help transform Susta into a tourist destination. “Susta was always associated with hardship. Now, with the bridge, crossing the Narayani River has become easier,” he said. “If the current flow of domestic tourists continues, it will contribute to the area’s economic development.”