Nearly four years after a landslide severely damaged a suspension bridge over the Bheri river on the Salyan-Jajarkot border, the structure remains unrepaired, forcing residents to make risky crossings for essential services.

The bridge, which connects Salyan with Chhedagad bazaar in neighbouring Jajarkot, is steep and sagging. Despite the danger of it swaying violently in the wind, residents, students and patients from Baundada, Parilla, Chaite and Kurille in Bame, all within Bangad Kupinde Municipality-2, continue to use it because they have no alternative.

The bridge initially collapsed on October 4, 2022, following monsoon-induced landslides.

Residents say repeated appeals to local, provincial and federal governments have brought no repairs, leaving them struggling to access healthcare, education and daily necessities.

With the Bheri river swollen during the monsoon, parents are now physically escorting children across the precarious bridge to school. Only one person can cross safely at a time because of its instability.

For Bame residents, Chhedabazar in Jajarkot is the main commercial hub, about a 30-minute walk away. By contrast, reaching healthcare facilities and schools within their own municipality requires a trek of more than three hours.

“When the landslide struck, the edges of the bridge became steep, and the middle section sagged heavily,” said Gopilal Acharya, a local resident. “It swings violently when the wind blows. Only the bravest dare to cross. Men who absolutely must go to the market grip the wire mesh and suspension cables just to make their way to the other side.”

The absence of a safe crossing has also increased the burden on families who depend on Chhedabazar for food and other household supplies.

During heavy rain, residents say the risks become greater as the river rises and the damaged bridge becomes harder to negotiate. Those needing treatment face difficulties, while students must continue crossing despite concerns over their safety.

Residents say they have little choice until authorities restore the bridge or provide an alternative crossing.

Chandra Roka, another local, said the bridge’s condition had also created serious difficulties for patients.

“Because the river is swollen, we cannot safely transport patients at night,” he said. “People in the village are being deprived of timely medical treatment, and selling our local produce has become incredibly difficult.”

Ishwar Batha, a resident of Parilla, said the 157-metre bridge, constructed in 2015 at a cost of approximately Rs5 million to 6 million, had ended residents’ dangerous reliance on inner tubes to cross the Bheri.

“Now that it has collapsed, we are forced to risk our lives again just to buy daily groceries,” he said.

Man Bahadur Khatri, ward chairman of Bangad Kupinde Municipality-2, said his repeated appeals to higher authorities had yielded no results.

“When we speak to political leaders, they assure us that the budget has been allocated and work will begin this year,” Khatri said. “It has been nearly four years, and not a single repair has taken place.”

For residents, the unrepaired bridge is more than a damaged piece of infrastructure. It has become a daily obstacle to education, healthcare and livelihoods, with the monsoon further increasing the risks of crossing the river.