The Kamala Bridge also known as the Kamala Setu is a bridge located in Kamala Rural Municipality Siraha district, Nepal.
It connects the villages of Vari and Pari with Vari on one side of the Kamala River and Pari on the other. Vari is known for its agricultural fields, while Pari is renowned for its houses.
Geographically, it is not a remote or underdeveloped area but rather considered a convenient route serving as a lifeline for the Terai region of Madhes connecting it with the capital of Province 2, Janakpur Dham.
The bridge has been planned for construction for about 12 years but has not yet been completed and there are no ambitious plans for an extravagant bridge.
The Kamala River poses challenges for the people living in both Siraha and Dhanusha districts.
To reach neighboring towns or markets like Mirchaiya-Karjana or the Indian border market Jaynagar people have to travel for nearly two hours facing risky ferry crossings in the river. This journey becomes even more difficult during flood season.
In response to this issue the Siraha Municipality took the initiative to build a temporary bamboo bridge which has been operational since Sunday.
The bridge provides free passage for motorcycles and pedestrians. However, some locals express concerns about the sustainability of the bamboo bridge in the long run as it might get washed away during heavy floods.
The completion of the bamboo bridge has brought relief to farmers like Subhakant Yadav, who used to struggle to take their agricultural produce to the market due to the difficulties of crossing the river. Now with the bridge in place, they can easily transport their goods to the market.
Similarly the new bridge has made traveling easier for people like Ramchandra Yadav who had to spend around two hours to cross the Kamala River while going to his in-laws’ house in Kamala-4 Dhanusha from Choharwa, Siraha. The bridge has significantly reduced the travel time, making life more convenient for the locals.
The Kamala Bridge project has been in the pipeline for about 12 years and after several delays the construction work finally began three years ago.
However the project faced further setbacks due to heavy flooding in the area during Asar and Kartik. As a result the construction company had to halt the work.
Despite these challenges the company plans to resume construction work on the bridge from the upcoming month of Asar.
The completion of the bridge is eagerly awaited by the locals as it will bring much-needed convenience and safety to their lives.
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