ITAHARI, NOVEMBER 6

With the inauguration of the first glass sky bridge on Friday in Kanyam of Ward No 7 of Suryodaya Rural Municipality, Ilam has become the first district to host such skywalk soft adventure product in Province 1.

Constructed by Kanyam Kloud Private Limited, the approximately 60-feet tall bridge has all-women investors. Twelve women investors from Wonders Nepal, which had been constructing various tourism products all around the country, have teamed up to make this pioneering tourism project along the Mechi Highway.

According to the director of the project Rita Acharya, who had chaired the inauguration ceremony on Friday, the entire infrastructure package, including swing, hotels and other activities, are estimated to reach Rs 50 million. The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of Mayor of Suryodaya Rural Municipality Rana Bahadur Rai, actor Barsha Raut, singer Alina Chauhan and many tourism figures from Province 1 Visitors can walk on the glass on the topmost section of the 3-section bridge enjoying the views of both Nepal and bordering Indian towns of Darjeeling as well as scenes from the Himalayas to the Tarai. Ilam's green-carpeted tea garden is an additional and constant attraction for the viewers.

The 4-metre wide and 7-metre length glass bridge on the top gives thrilling experience, said Basudev Baral, a tourism entrepreneur from Dharan who was at the inauguration ceremony.

''For adventure lovers visiting Ilam, this will be an instant attraction,'' remarked Baral after treading on the bridge. He said the project was a beautiful example of women-led tourism investment.

Domestic tourists have to pay Rs 500 to enjoy the facility. For visitors from SAARC countries and foreigners, the cost is Rs 800 and Rs 2,000 respectively.

A version of this article appears in the print on November 7, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.