CHAMPADEVI, OKHALDHUNGA: Even at a time when technology has taken giant leaps, the locals of Palapu in Champadevi Rural Municiplaity of Okhaldhunga district are celebrating the construction of a suspension bridge over the Sunkoshi River.

The suspension bridge links Palapu of Okhaldhunga district with Khangsang of Sindhuli district, thereby bringing an end to the inconvenience locals have been facing for a long time.

With the construction of the bridge, the people from Champadevi Rural Municipality will be able to reach Okhaldhunga district headquarters conveniently.

Ratna Kumari Sarki (73), along with other locals, exuded happiness at the construction of the bridge that will bring an end to them travelling with great risk via boat across the Sunkoshi River.

Similarly, 70-year-old Gomlal Majhi said he felt limitless joy due to construction of the bridge as he used to fear falling off the boat into the river while travelling across.

Minister of State for Federal Affairs and Local Development, Janak Raj Chaudhary, inaugurated the 194-metre suspension bridge constructed by the Suspension Bridge Division of the Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agriculture Roads on Friday.

On the occasion, Minister Chaudhary shared the Ministry’s priority to construct bridges in required places. “In today’s time, situation should not arise where even suspension bridges are difficult to construct. Therefore, in the current fiscal year, the Ministry has aimed to construct 600 suspension bridges,” he informed.

Meanwhile, the State Minister laid the foundation stone of another bridge at Nawalpur.