December 27: The locals of Laljhadi Rural Municipality in Kanchanpur have been compelled to pay money for using a wooden bridge to cross the Doda River.    
In the absence of a concrete bridge to cross the river, local folks have been bearing the cost for commuting through the temporary wooden bridge, the state-owned RSS reported.    
Prema Rana, a local of Shuklaphanta municipality-11, Dekhatbhuli is a teacher of Siddhabaijanath Secondary School in Laljhadi-2. Rana told RSS that she has been paying money for using the wooden bridge to cross the river.    
"We have been using the wooden bridge for years to cross the river. Now the state of bridge is also deteriorating," she said, adding, "It is very risky to cross the river in the rainy season."    
The residents of Laljhadi, who have been relying on the wooden bridge for the years, are also compelled to make a risky journey using inflated rubber tubes.    
"Years have elapsed since the promise was made for the construction of a concrete bridge. When will the work get completed? There seems no preparation for this at all," RSS quoted Dhoke Rana, a local of Laljhadi-5, as saying. "We are compelled to cross the river by paying money in absence of concrete bridge," he added.    
The local residents have been paying Rs 10 for using cycle and Rs 20 for motorbike to cross the river. The local government has handed the Doda river to a contractor to generate income. The contractor has been taking advantage of the situation by charging money to the hapless locals.