Work on delayed Kamala Bridge underway

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 28: The remaining work of the much-delayed Kamala Bridge, being constructed over the Kamala River along the Postal Highway connecting Siraha and Dhanusha, is underway.

The bridge remains incomplete even after nearly 14 years since the signing of the contract agreement.

The contractor has expedited construction work with a schedule to complete it bridge by mid-April 2026 and bring it into operation.

The Kamala Bridge, which has a total length of 469 metres, was contracted under a design-and-build model, in which the contractor was responsible for both designing and constructing the bridge.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Kul Man Ghising, directed the concerned authorities to immediately proceed with construction and complete the bridge as soon as possible after conducting an on-site inspection on November 21.

Minister Ghising warned that he would regularly monitor the progress and terminate the contract if the work was found unsatisfactory. 

He also directed the contractor to make temporary arrangements for movement by placing hume pipes at the current river crossing. 

Accordingly, the work has been moving on and work on laying the pipes is underway.

Despite nearly 14 years since the contract agreement, the Kamala Bridge has yet to be completed. Due to the delay, local residents have been suffering, as vehicles are forced to take long detours.

Flooding in the Kamala River on July 1, 2021, damaged two bridge foundations and four slabs. Of the damaged slabs, two on the Siraha (eastern) side have been removed, while technical studies have shown that the two slabs on the Dhanusha (western) side do not need to be removed.

Accordingly, work on slab lifting will now begin after strengthening the collapsed foundations. Concerned expert technicians have conducted site visits and inspections and are preparing a detailed action plan for the lifting process.

Construction of river control works and access roads included in the contract has not yet begun. 

After floods in the Kamala River last October altered the course of the river, discussions are ongoing regarding design revisions. Construction will begin once the design is finalised.

A contract agreement was signed with Pappu Lumbini JV in May 2011 for the construction of the Kamala Bridge—considered the lifeline of the Tarai/Madhes region—at a cost of Rs. 249.1 million (including VAT). 

As per the initial agreement, the bridge was to be completed by November 2014. The contract agreement, which was extended for the seventh time after the bridge could not be constructed on time, expired in July 2025.  After repeated delays, the contract deadline—extended for the seventh time—expired in July 2025. The contractor has submitted a proposal seeking an extension of the contract period until mid-July 2026, and the extension process is currently underway.

At present, Lumbini is carrying out the remaining works. So far, Rs. 204.3 million (including VAT) has been paid for the project.