Aug 27, 2017-
The alternative bridge over the Trishuli River at Mugling is all set to miss the completion deadline of mid-October 2017. The construction of the bridge, according to the contractor of the project, will take an additional five months. The bridge will connect Prithvi Highway to Pokhara.
After the old bridge at the crucial section of the highway that connects the capital with Pokhara became dilapidated, the government started the construction of the new bridge right next to the older one from last year.
According to Adventure Construction Company, the contractor hired to construct the arc RCC type of bridge, difficult terrain at the construction site has delayed the project.
“Currently, the high water level as well as the strong current in the Trishuli River is delaying the process of placing the support required to lay the arc over the river,” said Moti Sharma, representative of the contractor.
“We can go ahead with the construction of the arc only after the water level goes down in the river.” The bridge will be built and be in operation by mid-March 2018, Sharma added.
The contractor is building the bridge as per the design made by engineers of England and Bangladesh. Under the acr RCC model of bridge construction, first the metallic frame of arc shape is placed over the river and concrete is laid over it.
“The bridge constructed using such methods will last for hundreds of years,” said Sharma. The new bridge is being constructed at the cost of Rs 110 million.
After the 160 metre-long new bridge comes into operation, it will significantly reduce the risk associated with travelling through the dilapidated bridge. Bhanu Joshi, chief of Division Road Office of Damauli said the new bridge will replace vehicular movement from the older bridge.
“The older bridge will be only used for the movement of light vehicle,” said Joshi.
The older bridge which was built 45 years ago with Chinese assistance is in sorry state, posing a great risk to those who use it. The support beam to the left of the bridge has split and is deviating from its original position, raising alarms among local residents of its imminent collapse. Similarly, the iron plates placed on the bridge are about to crumble and there are even holes on some sections of the bridge.
Currently, the division office is repairing the older bridge. Locals blamed the movement of overloaded cargo vehicles as one of the major reasons behind the sorry state of the bridge.
Source: The Kathmandu Post
