Koshi-Barahkshetra boat service resumes for Dasain travelers

River boat service between Koprche and Barahkshetra, in Haspur, Hatuwagadhi Rural Municipality-9 in Bhojpur, has resumed, targeting travelers during Dasain.

Jetboats started running from Sunday for travelers returning to their villages to celebrate Dasain and those commuting to various towns in the Tarai. The service had been suspended since the end of last Jestha after the river's water flow increased.

Since there is no permanent bridge over the Arun and Dudh Koshi rivers, residents of southern Bhojpur have long faced difficulty traveling. Without the jetboat service, they were forced to walk three to four hours to reach Chatara.

Now, the jetboat covers that roughly 19-km distance in just 20 to 25 minutes. According to Milan Rai, a local businessman in Koprche, the fare between Koprche and Barahkshetra has been set at 500 rupees.

Locals from southern Bhojpur use the jetboat to reach towns in the Tarai, including Dharan, Itahari and Biratnagar. If you are heading to southern Bhojpur during Dasain, you too can take the jetboat from Barahkshetra to reach Koprche.

Hatuwagadhi Rural Municipality has planned to link this river transport with tourism to boost economic activity in the area.