Crossing the bridge in risk

Mugu, 22 Feb: After the suspension bridge at Kulaha of Soru rural municipality has become dilapidated, the locals are forced to cross the bridge at their own risk. As the bridge is dilapidated, it is difficult for the residents of Kalai, Khanaya, Jima, Purumuru to move around. The Kulaha suspension bridge built in 2039 on the Karnali river in Mugu has become dilapidated for a long time, and the locals are forced to cross the bridge at the risk of their lives.

Janak Bahadur Shahi of Khanaya village said that even though the bridge has been dilapidated for almost a decade, the maintenance is being neglected. According to him, all the slabs laid on the bridge have fallen off, while the wire mesh around it has been corroded by rust. “Looking at the bridge from a distance, it is scary, more than one person cannot cross the bridge”, he said. He said that there was an additional risk because cattle had to be crossed on the damaged bridge. According to him, even though it is snowing, the river cannot be crossed even now because the flow of the Karnali river has not decreased.

Locals use this bridge to reach the center of Soru Rural Municipality. Hark Bahadur Shahi, a local, said that they have to cross a risky bridge to negotiate a plan, demand a budget, understand social security allowance, work in a bank and take government services. According to him, children and senior citizens have not been able to leave the village for a long time because they are afraid to cross the bridge. He complains that despite drawing attention from the state government to the local level, no one is interested in the construction of the bridge.

Nerghat suspension bridge in Soru Rural Municipality is also dilapidated for a long time. The bridge was damaged when stones fell from above during the last rainy season. The bridge, which was built in BS. 2052, has not been repaired for almost eight months. After the bridge was dilapidated, the residents of Ner and Jairgaon in Humla had a problem to move around.