Gaighat, December 21

Millions of rupees are being spent every year to install a Bailey bridge over the Sunkoshi River at Phiksintar on the border between Udayapur and Khotang.

Though it’s been about a decade since work on building a concrete bridge some 50 metres downstream the Bailey bridge installation site started, but the bridge hasn’t been completed all these years.

Only 20 per cent of the work on the concrete bridge is said to have finished so far. “As the concrete bridge is nowhere to be ready anytime soon, installing and removing the Bailey bridge here has been an annual routine,” said Gaighat-Diketel Road Project engineer Nirjan Shrestha.

“As the bridge contractor has delayed work, the same has cost millions in the installation and removal of the Bailey bridge,” Shrestha said, adding the installation of the bridge alone cost around 8.1 million rupees this time.

According to Shrestha, the department has spent over Rs 110 million for the installation and removal of bailey bridge over the river for the past nine years’ time.

Every year, Bailey bridge is installed over the river to facilitate direct transportation from Udayapur to Khotang. While the bridge is installed in November/December, it’s removed again in April/May during monsoon.