Basmati Mallah stays at the ghat all day to build a temporary bamboo bridge. Passers-by pay the 'mallahi' between 5, 10 and 20 rupees depending on the amount. Although those from far away pay some amount in cash, she said that in the case of locals, they take goods such as paddy, rice, wheat and others.
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Residents of Bhabhai-Bhataulia in Sammarimai Rural Municipality-3 in the Marchwar area of Rupandehi are still forced to travel at high risk. Due to the lack of a concrete bridge over the Danab River, locals have to travel daily on wooden boats and temporary bamboo bridges.
According to Koil Lodh, a local from Bhabhai, Lumbini Cultural Municipality-12, they have to cross the river to Bhataulia and back. Currently, a local sailor from Dubey Thumhawa is making a temporary bamboo bridge and taking people across the river.
'He builds the bridge with great difficulty. This has also helped him earn a living and made it easier for us to travel,' he said, 'but in the absence of a concrete bridge, there is always a risk.'
According to him, this road is an important route connecting Amhawa to Banjari Chowk. The locals are demanding that the construction of a bridge here is very necessary as this road is also used to reach the Nepal-India border via Kakrahawa and Lumbini from Marchwar.
Another local from Bhabha, Dharmendra Lodh, said that the problem will increase during the rainy season due to the lack of a bridge. He said that even though a temporary bamboo bridge is currently built over the river, it cannot be used when the rains start.
'Right now, there are some facilities, but when it rains, we have to walk in the water,' he said. 'If a concrete bridge had been built here, we could have easily moved around even during the rainy season.' In the absence of a bridge, we sometimes have to go through Azma, Dui Muhan, and sometimes through Border.'
According to local Kumar Lodh, since the farms of farmers living on both sides of the river are also across the river, movement has become more difficult. 'The fields of the people on this side are on one side, and the fields of those living on the other side are on the other side,' he said, 'when floods come, no one can come and go. That is why a concrete bridge is very necessary here.'
A family of sailors has been building a temporary bamboo bridge over the river with the help of locals. They cut and collect bamboo for the construction of the bridge about a month in advance and prepare the bridge in about 15 days.
Basmati Mallah stays at the ghat all day to build the finished bridge. Basmati said that three members of the family built the bridge together. She said that she earns 100 to 200 rupees a day. Those who walk along the road pay 5, 10 or 20 rupees to the 'sailor' depending on the amount. 'The income from this ghat pays for salt, oil and household expenses,' Basmati said, 'We do not have our own farming. This ghat is our main source of income.' She said that even though the people from far away give some amount in cash, the locals take in kind (jiuka) such as paddy, rice, wheat etc. She said that each household gets four to 10 pathis of grain in exchange for the jiuka.
Since about 1,000 households from 10-12 surrounding villages use this road, the locals have been demanding the government to build a concrete bridge here for years. According to the locals, although the bamboo bridge has made the journey possible so far, the construction of a concrete bridge has become indispensable for a permanent solution.
