Bridge construction over Rapti starts

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Nepalgunj, Jan 12 : The construction of a new bridge at a cost of Rs. 1.5 billion has been started over the Rapti River of Banke district along the Postal Highway under the project of national pride.

According to the Postal Highway Project, the new bridge was going to be constructed since the old bridge over the river at Sidhanianghat was very narrow and dilapidated. Chief of the project Yogesh Suman informed that out of four companies bidding for the construction of the bridge, Lumbini Ratuwa Bandhan Bhagwati JV won the contract. The bidder is required to work on the construction as well as the design of the bridge. 

The project informed that the bridge would be 700 metres in length and the construction company needed to submit the design within six months. The construction has to be completed within three years, he added. 

Former Physical Infrastructure Minister Mohammad Ishtiaq Rai had laid the foundation stone for the construction a month and a half ago. He said that since the old bridge was at risk of being collapsed and was very narrow, he had approved the construction of the new bridge during his tenure. In addition to the construction of the bridge, he had also brought the plan for the construction of other six bridges over the Daduwa River and expansion of Nepalgunj Ranjha road, sky bridge, traffic light and others, he added.