Jhapa, October 27

A year has passed since the construction of much-awaited Mechi Bridge that connects Bhadrapur with India’s Bihar and Bengal states was completed. The bridge, however, has yet to come into operation.

Postal Highway Construction Project had constructed a bridge over the Mechi River last year. The bridge has yet to come into operation as the roads connecting the bridge on both Nepali and Indian sides have not been constructed.

According to Postal Highway Project, 1,300-metre road has to be built to connect bridge with postal highway’s departure point Jhapachowk on the Nepali side. Local entrepreneurs said  delay in distributing compensation to landowners had delayed operation of the bridge.

A source said the government had provided compensation for the land. Work has started to demolish illegal buildings and private houses for construction of the road. On the Indian side too, even the track has not been opened to connect with the bridge. Eastern side of the bridge is on the Nepali side while the western side touches both Bihar and Bengal.

Locals of Bhadrapur have been demanding construction of the bridge over the Mechi River for the past six decades.

Bhadrapur Mayor Jivan Kumar Shrestha said his municipality had written to the government to compensate the landowners, whose houses had been demolished.