BAJURA: Triveni Municipality has been constructing a new wooden bridge over Malagaad river every year, replacing the older one, three years in a row.

According to a local, Bir Bahadur Ayadi, a new bridge made of wood is constructed yearly after pulling down the old one for the past few years.

Two years ago, the first wooden bridge was constructed fit only for people to walk and cross the river. Last year, that bridge was demolished and in its stead, a slightly broader one built on which motorcycles could move. Now this year, that bridge too was taken down and a third bridge was constructed which allows the movement of four-wheelers such as a jeep.

A total of Rs 700,000 was spent for the first two bridges. The first bridge cost Rs 250,000 while the second one was built with an expenditure of Rs 450,000, informed the municipality.

However, it has been learnt that there is no design or estimate of cost for the recently constructed bridge and that the municipality would make the payment after construction completion based on valuation and work quality. The length of the bridge is 10 metres.

Municipality engineer Navin Saud stated that the payment will be made on collection of bills and admits that designing and determining an estimate of expenses have not been carried out.

Meanwhile, technicians have said that there is a risk for vehicles to commute through the bridge given that the framework of the bridge only allows a maximum capacity of five tonnes, stressing that it is not safe to exceed the limit.

According to the acting administrative officer of Triveni Municipality, Khagendra Saud, they are yet to make the payment for the bridge construction. He said, the target was to build the bridge at a cost of Rs 500,000, adding that the bridge construction committee informed that the expenses have crossed that threshold. Ganesh Saud, chair of the committee, has corroborated this information. He asserted that vehicles won’t face any risks for the next two years.

However, engineer at the Sanfe-Martadi road division office, Daman Bista, is of the opinion that it is very risky for the vehicles to travel across the wooden bridge. "It is okay for people and animals to walk across the bridge but it is dangerous for vehicles to ply on it from a technical point of view."

Chetan Ayadi, a local student leader of the municipality, lamented on how the budget is assigned every year for constructing and demolishing the bridge, which in any case is not safe for the use of vehicles.

The wooden bridge falls under the Mauretoli-Chhatara road section in the district.