Frustrated by years of delay, local people of ward 3 of Chandrapur Municipality in Rautahat have warned authorities and contractors to complete the long-stalled bridge over the Chandi river within 15 days or face protests.

The construction of the bridge, linking Gaindatar and Chandranigahapur, began eight years ago at the cost of Rs253.6 million, scheduled for completion by July 2019. However, only 75 percent work has been completed so far.

The locals recently submitted a memorandum to the Road Division Office, demanding immediate action against the contractor. They warned of office lockouts, sit-ins, and street protests if the bridge is not operational within the deadline.

The project was contracted to Pappu Construction and Shivashankar JV, companies already criticised for abandoning multiple bridge projects across the nation. Locals recalled staging a sit-in under the unfinished bridge in 2023, where the then-division chief had promised swift action—promises that remain unfulfilled.

Members of the Samriddha Gaindatar Nirman Abhiyan accused the contractors of negligence, saying locals face life-threatening risks crossing the river during monsoon.

The Road Division admits delays but cites financial and technical hurdles, noting that terminating contracts would prolong the process even further. Several bridges including Gujara, Brahmatol, Kotihar, Tikuliya, and Pipariya Dostiya remain incomplete years after contracts were signed in Rautahat.