Two suspension bridges built in Musikot

By Raju Lamichhane,Rukum West, June 23: Two suspension bridges constructed in Ward No. 10 of Musikot Municipality, Rukum West, have significantly eased the lives of the locals. Constructed in the last fiscal year, one bridge links Bherikhola to Magne, while the other connects Manpur to Hil, facilitating the transportation of agricultural products and the travel of schoolchildren.

The bridge connecting Bherikhola to Magne is 356 metres long, and the bridge connecting Manpur to Hil is 348 meters long. 

Ward Chairperson Dhan Bahadur Khadka stated that the Bherikhola-Magne bridge connects Bherikhola in Kamibudha settlement with the Tharikholi settlement in Chhahra Galmpati. Since the construction of the bridge, travel for the residents of Tharikholi has become more accessible, which has significantly improved the transportation of agricultural goods. This bridge has also eased movement to the areas of neighboring Rolpa district.

Similarly, the bridge linking Hil of Musikot Municipality 9 with the Manpur road of the Julkhet Galmpati road section has improved access to Bandarpani, Gairineta, Chinchhahare of Ward No.2 and to Dahabhage in Triveni Rural Municipality Ward No.1, as well as to numerous settlements in Parivartan Rural Municipality in Rolpa.

This bridge is part of the road section connecting the district headquarters through Sitalpokhari to Chun. It has made it easier for children from Hil to reach the school in Julkhet of Ward No. 6. During the rainy season, the absence of a bridge posed challenges for both children and the general public while traveling.

Shadananda Sharma, a teacher at Bal Kalyan Secondary School in Julkhet, stated that students studying in grade 5 and higher classes have to travel from Hil village to Julkhet, and the bridge has made their travel  easier. Especially during the rainy season, parents were often reluctant to send their children to school.

Both bridges were constructed by Himshikhar Nirman Sewa under the Local Infrastructure Development Programme. These bridges were initially scheduled for completion last year, but the construction company delayed progress due to road access issues.

To access the longest bridge from Bherikhola to Magne, a foot trail has been built from the main road. The ward office reported an investment of Rs. 300,000 to create a 343-meter-long footpath. With this foot trail, it has become more convenient for residents to reach Bherikhola village via the bridge from the Kamibudha Park Chaur road section.