MADHUBANI (ARARIA), Oct. 31 -- While strategic border roads are intended to boost national security and drive socio-economic development, they remain a distant reality for the residents of Madhubani village in Bihar's Araria district. Nestled near the Indo-Nepal border, 60 kilometers from the district headquarters, the village's children cross an international border into Nepal just to attend school. For the students of Madhubani, the ritual is routine. Ritu Kumari and Nitu Kumari, both teenagers in the fifth grade, cross into Nepal's Sunsari district to attend the 'Shree Amduba Adharbhut School,' located barely a kilometer from their homes. "We are happy getting free scholarships, uniform allowances, and midday meals," the girls said. They are fluent in Nepal's national anthem, which is sung daily at their school, but admit they are far less familiar with India's. "We are not as familiar with India's national anthem as Nepal's," they said. For parents in the village, this educational reality is a source of deepening anxiety rather than relief. "We want our children to get an education in Indian schools, but we are helpless," says local resident Kiran Devi. There are two government schools in the vicinity, Primary School Gwarpuchhri (three kilometers away) and Government Primary School, Pokharia (four kilometers away). However, for the residents of Madhubani, these schools might as well be in another country. The village has remained cut off, without a road or bridge connection, since Independence. "You can see the bamboo bridge and Pagdandi (Narrow and unpaved footpath) that turn into totally inaccessible during rainy season," villagers said adding "When we found no help from anywhere we approached the school authorities in Nepal and our children got easily enrolled there." They said, "What we need is the Aadhaar card of our children for enrollment in Nepal's schools." "Yes, we have been experiencing apathetic attitude of the government," a villager identified as Kamal Mahto, a marginal farmer said. Notably, the local MLA Devyanti Yadav (Narpatganj assembly constituency) and Araria MP Pradeep Kumar Singh both belong to BJP. Neither the MLA nor MP could be contacted for their comments. Araria district magistrate Vinod Duhan took cognizance of the matter and directed officials to visit the village to look into the infrastructure and accessibility issue.....