Key Takeaways:

• Five bridges along the Chatara main canal have deteriorated, with visible cracks and subsidence raising accident concerns
• The structures are part of the Chatara irrigation system built between 1964 and 1970, making them more than five decades old
• The Sunsari-Morang Irrigation Project has proposed reconstruction and sought funding support
• Residents are also demanding improvement of the 22-km Chatara-Jhumka road, which remains largely in poor condition

SUNSARI, SEPTEMBER 29 Five bridges along the Chatara-Jhumka road section under the Chatara main canal have deteriorated significantly, raising concerns about public safety and the potential risk of accidents. The affected structures include bridges at Belaha in Barahakshetra Municipality-8, Thalaha in Ward No. 4, Pulaha on the border of wards 4 and 8, and near Kauwa Khoj and Pindari Temple in Ward No. 4. Local residents say visible cracks and subsidence have appeared on the bridges, which are regularly used by public and private vehicles. Local resident Diwan Singh Rai said the ageing bridges are becoming increasingly hazardous and could lead to a serious accident if repairs are delayed further. According to the Sunsari-Morang Irrigation Project, construction of the Chatara canal system began in 1964 and was completed in 1970. The canal operated under Indian management for two years before being handed over to Nepal in 1972. Most structures associated with the irrigation network are now more than 50 years old. The 53-kilometre Chatara main canal, supplied by an intake on the eastern bank of the Koshi River, includes 12 branch canals and 36 minor canals and was developed to irrigate large agricultural areas in Sunsari and Morang.

Senior Divisional Engineer Tej Rijal said reconstruction of the deteriorating bridges would require additional budget allocation. He said the project has already prepared cost estimates and submitted a proposal to the World Bank for the reconstruction of ageing canal structures. A new 6.5-metre-wide bridge is currently under construction at the canal's 52 RD section, with an estimated cost of Rs125 million. Future bridges are expected to be wider and capable of carrying heavier traffic loads, according to project officials. Meanwhile, the approximately 22-kilometre Chatara-Jhumka road remains in poor condition, drawing repeated complaints from local residents. While locals have called for blacktopping and upgrading of the road, irrigation project officials said road improvement falls outside their mandate. Rijal said the project may provide gravel when necessary but is not authorised to blacktop the road under existing project specifications. Residents say the road becomes muddy during the monsoon and generates excessive dust during dry weather. Teacher Umesh Subedi said the poor condition has increased both accident risks and air pollution for local communities. The Chatara irrigation system was developed following the 1954 Koshi Agreement and was designed to provide irrigation to approximately 68,000 hectares of farmland in Sunsari and Morang districts.