Damaged Bridge at Chitwan-Dhading Being Repaired

4 years ago

The repair work of the Mouvakhola Bridge on the border of Dhading and Chitwan the Prithvi Highway damaged by the flood has started. The flood that came after incessant rains last Monday had destroyed about five meters of the approach road (the part connecting the bridge and the road) towards Dhading.

The construction work has been started by diverting the river water from the bottom of the bridge from Wednesday morning after the flow of water decreased. It will take three days (until Friday) for the bridge to be fully operational, said Keshav Sharma, director general of the road department.

A team comprising Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Devendra Karki, Prime Minister's Development Management Expert Gajendra Thapaliya, Director General of Roads Department Keshav Karki and MP Bhumi Tripathi had inspected the bridge after the bridge connecting the capital  was damaged on  Monday.

Director General of the Road Department, Keshav Sharma, said that it would take three days for the traffic to be fully restored even though the repair work started on Wednesday.

"If the weather is favorable, the work will move forward at a faster pace from Thursday. We have started work with a plan to resume traffic by Friday evening," he said.

Sharma said that even though they are working to make the vehicles passable immediately, there is a lot of work to be done to ensure that there is no damage in the future as well.

Meanwhile, landslides that have fallen in more than 50 places from Galchhi of Prithvi Highway to Mouvakhola have been removed to reopen the road one way.

Chief of the District Traffic Police Office, Dhading, Netra Prasad Bhatta informed that the work of removing the landslides has started with the use of dozers.

Large vehicles carrying goods have been stranded due to landslides in some places. The driver and co-driver of the vehicle have complained that they have difficulty in getting food.

Vehicles leaving the capital via Prithvi Highway were diverted from Nagdhunga on Monday afternoon after bridges and roads collapsed. Similarly, there is a long line of cargo vehicles coming from Chitwan to enter the capital.