'Excess ferry charges & harassment': Malda villagers build bamboo bridge over Kalindri

Malda, Nov. 4 -- Frustrated over alleged harassment and excess charges by the local ferry operator, villagers have taken matters into their own hands and started constructing a bamboo bridge across the Kalindri River at Laxmighat in English Bazar. The move has triggered a fresh controversy, with the district administration questioning the villagers' decision to build a separate crossing without permission.

For years, thousands of people from several villages in the Narhatta, Phulbari and Pukhuria areas have depended on a temporary bridge at Laxmighat to cross the Kalindri River. Despite repeated demands, a permanent concrete bridge is yet to be constructed, forcing residents to rely on makeshift arrangements for their daily commute.

The temporary bridge was earlier constructed and maintained by the ferry operator, who takes the ghat on lease from the Malda Zilla Parishad. Passengers are charged according to an officially-prescribed rate chart. However, villagers alleged that the operator has been collecting excess fares and behaving rudely with commuters. Growing resentment over the alleged irregularities prompted residents to stop using the existing crossing and collect money to construct a bamboo bridge.

Construction of the villagers' bridge has already begun. Interestingly, the ferry operator has also started building another temporary bridge using an iron framework.

"We are tired of depending on temporary arrangements and facing problems every day. The ferry operator allegedly demands extra money and misbehaves with passengers. We have decided to build our own bamboo bridge using contributions from villagers. However, our primary demand remains a permanent bridge over the river," stated Mainul Haque, a resident of Bichhli village.

The ferry operator, Ismail Sheikh, however, denied the allegations, claiming that he has been collecting fares strictly according to the government-approved rate chart.

Malda Zilla Parishad Additional District Magistrate Bhaskar Majumdar said: "The allegations raised by the villagers are completely baseless. There may be some problems, which can be examined through discussions. However, villagers cannot construct a bamboo bridge on a Zilla Parishad ferry ghat on their own without permission."

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.