8 years, no bridge: Muzaffarpur villagers demand real change this election

Muzaffarpur (Bihar): The only way for locals to get to work every day in a number of the villages on either side of the Bagmati River in Muzaffarpur district is through temporary bridge constructed of wood and bamboo. A permanent solution to the long-standing issue has been demanded by the villagers, bringing these brittle structures back into the spotlight as the Bihar assembly elections approach.

Residents in the Gaighat and Aurai constituencies claim that no concrete bridge has been constructed to safely connect their villages, despite a lot of assurances from leaders of all parties.

According to a local resident, Surendra Das, “Leaders come to our homes asking for votes, but none of them have offered a solution for this problem yet. No one has paid any attention to this. Neither the government of Nitish Kumar nor that of Lalu Prasad's paid any attention.”

Now these risky bridges have become a daily routine for locals, especially schoolchildren, traders, and office-goers. Residents must make lengthy detours of more than 50 to 60 kilometres during floods.

“We have to face a lot of problems because of the lack of a permanent bridge. During the floods, we have to take a detour of around 50-60 km, either from Gaighat or Runni Saidpur. Due to the condition of this bridge on the Bagmati, we face a lot of problems,” said Subodh Pandit, another resident.

He further added, “Our demand is to build a new bridge. So many years have passed, so many legislators have come, but this bridge on the Bagmati hasn’t been built.”

Residents also pointed out that the poor road condition near the bridge has added to their woes.

“There are a lot of difficulties and the road ahead is also in very poor condition, so it is very difficult to commute. The Block office is here, and it's very difficult to travel to and from here. If the bridge gets built, it will be easier for everyone to connect, and employment will increase. Right now it's difficult to reach the hospital also, and that too will become easier,” said Rajesh Kumar, another local.

“This bridge has been like this for more than 8 years...in fact, since 2014,” he added.

When asked what the people of the area want, he said, “We want the bridge to be built so that we don't face difficulty in commuting; that's what we want.” 

Frustrated by years of neglect, residents of Basghatta village even pooled their own money a few years ago to build a temporary bamboo bridge across the river. That structure, too, is now in dire need of repairs.

“We have made a temporary bamboo bridge by pooling in our own resources. There is no pontoon bridge here. And this one is also damaged. Villagers have given up on rebuilding it again, because it costs a lot. No leader – sarpanch or MLA – bothers to come and see the condition of the bridge,” added Surendra Das.

These makeshift bridges, which are unsafe to walk on and often washed away during the monsoon, underline the urgent need for better road and bridge infrastructure in Muzaffarpur’s rural areas.

The first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections is set for November 6 in both the Gaighat and Aurai constituencies, with the counting scheduled for November 14.