By Amar Raj Naharki
Tanahun, July 8: Works to fix a Bailey bridge over the Chhabdi River along the Buddhasingh Marga have begun.
A flood in the Chhabdi River had swept away a motorable bridge there a week ago.
The process to fix a Bailey bridge has begun after the Physical Infrastructure, Urban Development and Transportation Management Ministry of Gandaki Province allocated necessary budget and directed the Physical Infrastructure Office, Tanahun, for the same.
Cost of the bridge construction is estimated at Rs. 5.5 million and the ministry has provided Rs. 4.1 million.
“The remaining amount would be raised from public and the bridge will be set up at the earliest,” said Sirjana Tiwari, treasurer of the consumers committee.
A committee has also been formed consisting of ward chairmen of Ward 1, 13 and 14 and social workers from the community to look over the construction work.
The committee has been working to complete the bridge construction work at the earliest
The construction work started from Wednesday itself and it is expected that the bridge will be ready by mid-August.
In lack of a bridge, ambulances carrying patients and the vehicles transporting milk and other agricultural products have not been able to come into operation.
Ojraj Dhungel, chief at the Tanahun’s Physical Infrastructure Office, informed that the Bridge Division in Palpa had allowed them to bring and use the unused Bailey bridge of the Marsyangdi River joining Tanahun and Gorkha districts over the Chhabdi River.
A Bailey bridge is a type of portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge.