By Prem Adhikari
Pashupatinagar, Feb. 4: A suspension bridge connecting Ghante of Mai Municipality Ward No. 1 with Bihibare of Ward No. 6 has been constructed over the Mai Khola River in Ilam. However, it is not just any suspension bridge. Spanning a distance of 820 metres, this is the second longest suspension bridge of the country.

According to Upendra Devkota, engineer at the Suspension Bridge Division of the Department of Local Infrastructure, Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, the bridge has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 82 million.
“The contractor Thani Himshikhar JV completed the bridge six months ago and we are preparing to hand it over to the local government,” he said.
After the bridge comes into operation, it will benefit not only the people of Mai Municipality but also of Deumai Municipality, said Dipak Thebe, mayor of Mai Municipality. “Children will be able to reach school quickly and patients will be able to reach hospitals in time.”

Last year, three students were swept away by the Mai Khola when they were crossing the river while going to school. “This bridge will now prevent such tragedies,” said local Prem Bahadur Karki.
Mai Municipality has Khatrakpa, the place where the great Kirant Guru Phalgunanda meditated and the famous Terhakune wetland which have great potential for tourism.
Mai Municipality officials believe that the bridge will help them exploit this potential.

People have already started coming to the area to see the bridge and take photos and videos of it.
The bridge in itself looks set to become a tourist attraction, Karki said.