JANAKPURDHAM, Jan 17: Discussions have been held to resolve the dispute over bridges on the bordering area with India in Dhanusha.

Nepali Congress leader and former deputy prime minister and home minister Bimalendra Nidhi and Ajaya Nishad, member of Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament from Muzaffarpur, Bihar state of India, held discussions on this matter in Muzaffarpur on Tuesday. Nishad is a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

During the talks, leader Nidhi said that discussions have to be held at the higher level as the requests made to the Indian side at the district-level  to remove the obstacles in the construction of bridges on the bordering area at Nagarain Municipality and Mukhiyapatti Musaharniya Rural Municipality in Dhanusha district have gone unheeded. 

Nidhi said that although roads have been constructed on both sides of the Nepal-India border for the convenience of the people of both countries, bridges could not be constructed for many years due to the obstruction by the India side. He argued that this issue should become a matter of concern for the people's representatives on both sides of the border. 

"The foundation was laid for the construction of four bridges on the bordering area here when I was the Minister for Physical Infrastructure 10 years back. Some works have been carried out, but the SSB has been creating obstructions in the construction of bridges, saying structures cannot be constructed on the no-man's land and this was the order to them from the higher authorities," leader Nidhi said in the meeting.

He further contended that if the obstruction continued like this, no bridge can be constructed on the Nepal-India border and it also raises a question as on what basis the bridges constructed so far were built. 

"How can the peoples of the two countries be linked if bridges cannot be constructed in the no-man's land? The people of both Nepal and India living near the border are facing problems as roads have been constructed on both sides but there are no bridges. So, you, as a leader of the BJP and a lawmaker, should also take initiatives for removing this obstruction (in the construction of bridges)," Nidhi told the BJP leader Nishad.  

On the occasion, Nidhi stated that the Nepali delegation, himself included, had come to meet the Indian side not only to express the sentiments of Nepal but also those shared by the Indian people in the bordering areas. 

In the course of the discussions, BJP leader and lawmaker Nishad expressed his commitment to make initiatives from his side for removing the obstacles created by the Indian side in the construction of bridges. He said that the problem would be resolved by holding talks with the Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) officials through Amit Shah, the Home Minister of the Indian central government. 

"Neither the border nor the bridge should be an obstacle in the relations between India and Nepal, and in the connectivity of the citizens of the two countries. But still there are some problems. I have inquired with the Indian officials and journalists as well regarding the problems related to bridges," lawmaker Nishad said, adding that he would personally talk to BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah as it was an issue related to the Home Ministry. "I don't think the issue of bridges is a big problem. Initiatives will be taken for resolving this issue," he reiterated. 

Accompanying leader Nidhi in the talks were Nagarain Municipality Mayor Binaya Kumar Yadav, the Mukhiya Patti Musharna rural municipality Chair Jaya Kumar Yadav and technicians including Senior Divisional Engineer Arun Kumar Lal Karna, the Chief of the Road Division Office Janakpurdham and other stakeholders from Nepal. 

Locals have complained that the Indian SSB is creating obstruction in upgrading the bridge over the Jamuni river at Rajghat to a six-lane structure linking Jatahi of Nepal to Piparaun of India, in the construction of a suspension bridge connecting Lagama, Nagarain-6 to Laharniya of India and in the works of the under-construction bridge over the Jamuni river at Thalhighat, Bairiya Tol. This bridge links Musaharniya rural municipality-2 with Bairiya Tol of the same rural municipality.

Chief Engineer Karna said that although half of the construction works on these four bridges have been completed, problems have been encountered in going ahead with the remaining construction as the Indian side has been obstructing in the construction, saying the bridges touched the Indian land.

According to him, the obstacles in the construction of the bridges can be removed only through initiations from the higher level.

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