Bamboo Bridges and a ₹400 Crossing: Khagaria’s Alauli Block Still Battles ‘Primitive-Era’ Hardships

Khagaria (Bihar): More than seven decades after Independence, thousands of residents in Bihar’s Khagaria district continue to live with challenges reminiscent of a bygone era. In the Alauli block, the absence of a permanent bridge over the Bagmati river has turned daily life into a perilous struggle for nearly 50,000 people across around ten villages.

For residents of the riverine diara region—including villages such as Mohra Ghat, Kolwara and Sheharbanni—the Bagmati remains a formidable barrier rather than a lifeline. With no concrete bridge in sight, villagers are forced to cross the river using small boats or fragile, temporary bamboo structures known locally as chachari bridges. The risk multiplies during the monsoon season, when swollen river currents make the journey even more dangerous.

A Costly and Risky Commute

Crossing the river is not only life-threatening but also financially draining. In the absence of public infrastructure, private boat operators charge villagers heavily—₹10 per person, ₹40 for a motorcycle, and up to ₹400 for a four-wheeler. Overloaded country boats, coupled with rising water levels during monsoon months, pose a constant threat of accidents, yet residents have little choice but to rely on them.

Education and Healthcare Hit Hard

The lack of a permanent bridge has severely impacted access to essential services. Government teachers and local residents, including Sadhus Paswan, Manzoor Alam and Ajmer Alam, say students and teachers struggle daily to reach schools, affecting the overall quality of education in the region. Medical emergencies often turn fatal due to delays in reaching hospitals across the river. Farmers, too, suffer losses as poor connectivity prevents them from accessing markets and securing fair prices for their produce.

Years-Old Demand, No Resolution

The demand for a permanent bridge at ‘Agar Ghat’, located near the Khagaria–Saharsa district border, has been pending for years. Despite repeated appeals by villagers, social activists and public representatives, the proposal remains buried in government files. Alauli’s JD(U) MLA Ramchandra Sada has acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and assured that he would raise it with the Chief Secretary and concerned officials.

For the people of Alauli’s diara region, however, such assurances offer little comfort. Until a bridge becomes a reality, they remain trapped between a river and an unfulfilled promise—risking their lives every day for education, healthcare, livelihood, and basic dignity.