Four hurt as unfinished bridge collapses

Bhairahawa, June 21

At least four persons were injured when an under-construction bridge along the Mayadevi-Chhapiya road section collapsed in Siyari Rural Municipality, Rupandehi, today.

Sub-engineer Mahesh Lamsal of Division Road Office, contractor Surya Adhikari, Moon Bahadur Pallimagar and Dinesh Chaudhary were injured in the incident.

Lamsal, who suffered multiple injuries, is receiving treatment in Butwal City Hospital.

Division Road Office Chief Engineer Megh Raj Marasini said flood in the river had swept away the support structure of the bridge, causing it to collapse. “We could not save the bridge as flood had swept away the supporting structure of the under-construction bridge,” he said, adding that they were preparing to tie the beam of the bridge with machine when the incident occurred.

The construction of the bridge had started with budget allocation of Rs 80.5 million in fiscal 2015-16. Nilgiri National JB has started work on the bridge four years ago and it was supposed to be completed this fiscal.

A representative of the company said work could not be completed on time due to the lockdown. He said that the process of extending the deadline had been forwarded.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on June 22, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.