Khotang, Sept 10: People's representatives at local levels in the district have demanded construction of a bailey bridge over the Sunkoshi River, thereby linking Khotang and Udaypur districts.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and
Transport was demanded a bailey bridge at Bangsilaghat of Udayapur district so
that Baraha Pokhari rural municipality-5 of Khotang district and Chaudandi
Gadhi municipality-1 of Udayapur would be connected.
The representatives shared that the
Ministry was positive to their demand.
The people's representatives from
the respective local levels of the two districts held a discussion to this
regard. The meeting had decided to request the federal ministry for its
cooperation to build the essential infrastructure.
Earlier, the people's
representatives had taken initiatives to establish similar bailey bridge at
Phoksingtar so that transportation to the eastern towns of Khotag was made
easier.
The discussion had the
participation of people's representatives, active locals and leaders of
political parties.
Currently, there is a suspension
bridge at Bangsilaghat which was built six years back. The bridge stretching
235 meter was built at the cost of Rs 143 million.
Though the construction of a
motorable bridge over the Sunkoshi River was initiated at the cost of Rs 191.8
million at Bangsilaghat, it has not completed so far. It witnessed only 25
percent progress, while its contract was 33 months since November 17,
2022.
Then foreign minister Dr Narayan
Khadka had laid a foundation stone to the bridge on December 16, 2022.
Chairman of Barahapokharai rural
municipality, Shalikram Banjara, informed that the contractor had badly delayed
the construction, putting the people at the receiving end.
However, the bridge section of Road
Department, Dharan admitted delay in bridge construction, reasoning that its
location had to be shifted down the proposed spot.
The person contracted for the
undertaking had gone missing for long. RSS