Rising Ganga Forces Closure of Ara-Ballia Pipa Bridge, Cutting Off Rural Connectivity
Bihar: A temporary yet critical lifeline connecting Bihar and Uttar Pradesh is set to disappear beneath the rising waters of the Ganga. The Ara-Ballia Pipa Bridge at Mahuli Ghat will be dismantled by 25 June due to seasonal swelling of the river a routine disruption with far-reaching consequences.
The dismantling, prompted by a one-foot rise in the Ganga’s level, will sever direct road connectivity between Bhojpur and Ballia, as well as parts of Chhapra. What follows is months of logistical distress: residents from 18 villages under Khawaspur Panchayat will be forced to travel up to 100 km just to access their own district headquarters. For some, the route via the Ara-Chhapra bridge stretches even longer, touching 150 km.
Health services are among the worst hit. With the bridge gone and flood-prone boat rides the only alternative, routine access to hospitals and emergencies becomes a gamble. What is, for most, a seasonal inconvenience, becomes for many a full-fledged crisis in transport, economy, and basic access.
