Demonstration Outside Madhesh Province Assembly: ‘Isn’t It Shameful? When Will the New Kamala Bridge Construction Begin?’

May 31, Kathmandu – Local residents have staged protests demanding budget allocation for the construction of the Kamala Bridge, connecting Siraha and Dhanusha districts along the Hulaki Road. During the demonstration held Monday in front of the Madhesh Province Assembly, protesters raised slogans such as ‘Isn’t it shameful? When will the new Kamala Bridge construction begin?’

Banners bearing slogans like ‘How long must we wait on the federal government?’ and ‘Is this a provincial government or merely a branch of the federal government?’ were also visible during the protest.

Engineer Praveen Kumar Yadav, coordinator of the Hulaki-Kamala Struggle Committee, stated that they were compelled to launch the protest in response to the provincial government’s irresponsible comments regarding the Kamala Bridge construction. He explained, “Previously, we had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Krishnaprasad Yadav, but received an irresponsible response.” According to Yadav, the Chief Minister reportedly said, “Where should I get the Kamala Bridge constructed from? Sell your own property and build the bridge yourself.”

The federal government has allocated NPR 400 crore in the upcoming fiscal year’s budget for the construction of eight bridges along the Hulaki Road. However, the Kamala Bridge, which is under reconstruction, was not included in this allocation, prompting local residents to stage protests. They are now demanding that the provincial government include the Kamala Bridge in the budget. They have also warned that, if ignored, they will intensify their protests through phased movements.

The Kamala Bridge construction began 15 years ago but has made little progress after being damaged in the floods of 2021 (2078 BS).