RAUTAHAT: Road accidents have become recurrent owing to deteriorating condition of bridges constructed along the East-West Gandak Canal.

The risk of road mishaps have gone up in lack of regular maintenance and proper oversight, and rampant operation of vehicles breaching traffic rules.

Frequency of road accidents has increased with the bridges -- constructed along the Gandak Canal in Parsa, Bara and Rautahat districts -- turning to sorry state, said locals.

The surface and rally of the bridges are almost broken as a result of heavy vehicles including loaded trucks, big buses and tractors plying over the bridges.

Locals further noted that the bridges were primarily constructed for operation of small vehicles required for running the irrigation system.

Likewise, old bridges constructed over Jamuni, Tiyar, Triveni and Aruwa rivers flowing through Bara and Rautahat districts also have witnessed cracks at different places.

Dozens of big accidents took place near the deteriorating bridges due to operation of heavy vehicles. Numerous people have lost their lives in the fatal road accidents.

Binod Paswan, a local of Bara, said that questions are being raised as to which agency should take the responsibility for routine maintenance of the bridges in order to reduce the chances of road accidents.