Harka Sampang's Bridge Project in Darchula Faces Diplomatic Hurdles

Dhangadhi. Towards the end of 2081, Harka Sampang issued an appeal via Facebook, stating, 'In line with the announcement to build a suspension bridge instead of the tuins (cable crossings) in Darchula, please contribute any amount from Rs 10 upwards if you wish to support.'

This appeal worked. Sampang's supporters spontaneously collected funds. To demonstrate that 'an elected representative can do anything if they want to,' Sampang himself and his technical team reached the remote Vyas Rural Municipality of Darchula.

His goal was to remove the tuins on the Mahakali River that connect Dumling in Vyas Rural Municipality-2 to Pithoragarh, India. However, when the team arrived on the field, the reality was different.

The Mahakali River is also an international border between Nepal and India. Constructing any structure on a border river requires the consent and diplomatic permission of both countries. According to Binod Singh Kunwar, Vice-Chairman of Vyas Rural Municipality, despite the efforts of Sampang's team to build a bridge on the Mahakali, it was not possible without India's permission.

'About 15-20 days ago, Harka Sampang's team came to inspect the site for the replacement of the tuins. But it was not possible to replace the tuins with a suspension bridge on the Mahakali. Due to coordination with India and the international border, it did not appear that work could proceed there immediately,' he said.

Faced with diplomatic obstacles in their plan to build a bridge on the Mahakali, the team sought alternatives. To avoid disappointing the public and wasting the donated funds, the team chose the Ghatte Khola located in the interior of the same ward.

Currently, Sampang's team has started building a bridge over the Ghatte Khola, which will connect Katha Dumling of Vyas-2 and surrounding villages. Just this Sunday, Harka Sampang's team laid the foundation stone for the bridge. This bridge will facilitate movement for the people of two or three small local settlements.

However, this bridge does not immediately address the main goal of replacing the Mahakali tuins that Sampang had initially announced.

'Removing the tuins on the Mahakali has become almost impossible for now. Therefore, considering the local needs, it was agreed to build a bridge over the Ghatte Khola. This will provide some relief to the locals, but the problem of the tuins remains as it is,' said Vice-Chairman Kunwar.

Sampang's team of about 30 people has already started work. The rural municipality has coordinated to provide technical support. This team stays in small tents by the river. The workers are also part of that team. Even though they could not build a bridge on the Mahakali, local resident Yunika Budhathoki of Dumling said that the locals are happy that a bridge, even if small, is being built in their area.

Since 2049, 23 people have lost their lives in Vyas Rural Municipality-2 alone after falling into the Mahakali while crossing via tuins.

Due to the lack of roads on Nepali soil, the residents of Vyas Rural Municipality are forced to cross the Mahakali River via tuins and travel through Indian territory to reach the district headquarters. Every day, citizens here are making arduous and risky journeys to reach the headquarters.

When sick, pregnant, or involved in accidents, they reach the nearest health post. Even there, there is a lack of medicine, manpower, and equipment. Then they are carried to the district headquarters via the Indian route. The demand of the citizens here is that a road should be built in Nepal itself. They wish they did not have to use Indian land. If the Tinkar road is built, the compulsion for the citizens here to cross the tuins will end. Because if there were facilities, people would not put their lives at risk, says Vice-Chairman Budhathoki of the rural municipality.

Construction of the Tinkar road is being delayed due to rocks, landslides, and government negligence. The Darchula-Tinkar road project has been divided into two sections: 291 km from Brahmadev to Darchula and 134 km from Darchula to Tinkar. If that road were built, the compulsion for the people of Vyas to cross the Mahakali by riding on tuins would end. But it is not certain when that road will be built.

The citizens here are hoping for the construction of this road, which is being built at a snail's pace.