'No Bridge, No Vote': 77 Years On, Bihar Villagers Risk Lives To Cross River

In Bihar, the ongoing assembly elections are mostly centred around development, women and the youth. But in villages around 150 kilometres away from Gaya, development seems a distant dream for all, especially for the women who form the backbone of the electorate.

For the past 77 years across generations, over 8,000 villagers of Pathra, Herhanj and Kewaldih have been waiting for fulfilment of only one demand - a bridge over Mhorhar river that they describe as "river of helplessness".

"We will not vote till the bridge is constructed. Pul nahi to vote nah (We will vote till a bridge is constructed," a woman voter said.

"Everyone has been suffering for 77 years. Politicians come and go but do not fulfil promises. During the monsoons, the level of the river water rises, sometimes till the shoulder. For us, development means construction of the bridge," she added.

For nearly four months every year, these villages are completely cut off from the rest of the state, and the world. Villagers have to wade through chest deep water and cannot easily visit the local market for groceries, children cannot attend schools, farmers are unable to sell their produce and those unwell cannot make it to hospitals.

"Only we can understand the extent of the problems we face in such situations. We are literally cut off from this place for four months every year," one of the villagers said. 

Women form the backbone of the elections. But in their own villages, they lay cut-off from all basic healthcare. For Sunil Vishwakarma of Pathra village, the bridge could have given him a longer life. He died on a river bank while waiting for help that never came.

"He could not be taken to a hospital because of the river. There was no ambulance and we had to hire a private vehicle to take him to the hospital before he died. The vehicle was on the other side of the river," Viswakarma's mother said. 

Pregnant women often die on their way to the hospitals, 39 kilometres away after crossing the river. 

"We raised a lot of complaints. During the monsoons, we lose at least two lives here every year. There are forests and the river nearly on all sides. It is very difficult to survive this way," another villager said. 

In the election season of promises and manifestos, the only demand of these villagers is the construction of a bridge for survival.

Voting in the state is being held in two phases - the first phase was held on November 6 and the second phase will be held on November 11. The results will be announced on November 14.