Satti Bridge connecting the Kailali- Bardiya Postal Highway collapses

Tikapur: The Satti Bridge connecting the Kailali- Bardiya Postal Highway has collapsed due to the cutting of the Karnali River. The Satti Bridge, which was used by more than thousands on daily basis, has collapsed due to incessant rain.  

The road connecting Far West and Lumbini has been closed after the bridge collapsed due to the increased flow of water in Karnali River. Thousands of citizens and hundreds of vehicles used to cross the Satti Bridge daily. The postal highway is completely blocked after the bridge collapsed from the eastern side of the Karnali River on Saturday afternoon. The locals had demanded its repair to increase the bridge's life span as the Karnali River was flowing eastwards; however, the repair work was not initiated on time to avert the situation.

Therefore, the locals believe that that road was blocked due to untimely work. Buses and vehicles plying regularly in Kailali and Bardiya have been on halt after the river cut the slab of the bridge. Bikram Kayastha, a local of Rajapur said “there are more problems for the people who move around for farming. They used to cross the bridge in the morning and return in the evening, said Kayastha.”

In addition, crops and commodities from Kailali were sold in Baridya, similarly, the crops and commodities from Bardiya were sold in Kailali, but with the bridge collapsing trade between the two districts will be hindered.  Ward Chairman Thukalla said that it is a big loss due to untimely attention. Locals say that the business development of Kailali and Bardiya districts has been hampered after the bridge collapsed.

Tikapur-8 has also severed ties with 40 families living in Sri Lanka. Rama Budha, a local, said that communication was cut off in Sri Lanka during the annual paddy cultivation. "We live in Tikapur but our farms are still there. How do we get there for farming?” He said,“ Sri Lanka has hundreds of bighas of arable land. Now people will suffer. ”

Chief of Rajapur Municipality Shiva Prasad Chaudhary said that the alternative is to use a boat at Daulatpur Ghat from about five kilometers north of the bridge. "It is no longer possible to cross the bridge. Now, the citizens are forced to travel by boat again, ”said Chaudhary.