Bhairahawa, August 14

Province 5 government has forwarded a proposal to develop railway transport using overhead bridge in Butwal, the main trade hub of the province.

The province government has issued a budget of Rs 4 billion to initiate the East-West railway project. Though a detailed engineering survey was conducted in other places, it could not take place in Butwal and Tilottama area due to protests from locals. As hundreds of denizens in Butwal came up with a strong refusal of the project fearing displacement, the rail department under the Physical Planning and Construction Ministry came up with the idea of using an overhead bridge.

Senior Division engineer Prakash Bhakta Upadhyay at Rail Department said the survey team submitted a DPR draft including the use of overhead bridge in the densely populated Kalikanagar area of Butwal. “The final report of the draft will come out within a few months. Chinese Siwan Company prepared the DPR,” said Upadhyay.  The draft has proposed a 2.5 km overhead bridge station in the eastern forest from Kalikanagar and to extend it across Tinau via Kalikanagar. The bridge will be supported by eight to nine metres tall pillars at necessary places.

It is said that the government didn’t have to bother about providing compensation for the appropriation of land and a large number of households would not be displaced with the construction of an overhead bridge. “The province government will begin construction after the design is finalised,” said Upadhyay.