Puwa Khola Bailey bridge opened

BY KOKILA DHAKAL,Ilam, Aug. 21: Travel between Jhapa in the Tarai and Taplejung in the eastern hills has become shorter and easier following the operation of a Bailey bridge constructed over the Puwa River in Ilam under the Kechana-Kanchenjunga (Fast Track) road project.

Until now, travelers had to rely on the Mechi Highway, where the journey from Jhapa to Taplejung was time consuming. For instance, traveling from Ilam to Birtamod required covering around 84 kilometres via the Mechi Highway. With the fast-track route, the distance has been reduced to about 50 kilometres, significantly easing access.

The opening of the Bailey bridge has enabled smoother transportation from Birtamod in Jhapa to Khudunabari, Danabari, and up to Ilam headquarters. According to the Ilam Division Road Office, even though parts of the road remain unpaved, vehicles have been operating along the route during the monsoon as well. “Work is also underway to blacktop the road. Construction of drains, gabion walls, sub-base, and soling is going on,” said Engineer Arjun Ghimire of the Division Road Office. “Currently, a box culvert is being built over the Thade Khola, and about 75 per cent of that work is complete. The culvert is expected to be finished within two months, but the roadwork itself depends on the contractor.”

However, progress has been slower in other sections. The Division Road Office informed that work on the Rakase-Belase-Bhanjyang stretch faced delays, resulting frozen of Rs. 55 million last fiscal year. Out of the 9-kilometre stretch, five kilometres have only reached the sub-base stage, while four kilometres remain unpaved, informed Ghimire. The contract for the road was signed on July 13, 2021, with the deadline set for January 13, 2024. After missing the initial deadline, the contract with Khadka Krishna Saksham JV, Kathmandu, was extended until July 2, 2025. Yet, the Division Road Office confirmed that only 42 per cent of the work has been completed so far. Stakeholders expressed disappointment that despite allocated budgets, the project continues to lag behind schedule.

Meanwhile, the Bailey bridge over the Puwa River was officially inaugurated on Wednesday by Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Devendra Dahal and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava. Built at a cost of Rs. 13.5 million, the bridge is 48.8 metres long and has a load capacity of 25 tonnes. Only one vehicle is allowed to cross the bridge at a time.

Following landslides at Rajduwali along the Mechi Highway after heavy rains in September last yera, authorities had initiated repairs and blacktopping on alternative routes, including the Kechana-Kanchenjunga road and the Simalgolai-Tilkeni road. In addition, a Bailey bridge was recently completed over the Jogmai River along the Simalgolai-Tilkeni road section. According to the Division Road Office, the bridge built at a cost of Rs. 19.1 million allows the operation of vehicles weighing up to 10 tonnes.

While the construction of both bridges has improved connectivity in the region, road-building works have continued to lag, raising concerns among locals and officials alike.