KATHMANDU: The government has so far constructed 73 bridges along the mid-hill highway. The mid-hill highway connects Chiyobhanjyang of Panchthar district to Jhulaghat of Baitadi district.

Along the highway, a total of 126 bridges need to be built. It connects 215 settlements of 26 districts in the mid-hill of the country, while some 10 million people would be directly benefitted with the mega project.

The Road Department informed that 19 bridges were under construction along the route. Similarly, the contract was yet to be made for 37 bridges, according to the chief of bridge division at the Department, Dipak Bhattarai.

He added that four contracts were being breached for the structures they created failed to meet the standard. Even a notice was issued to breach the contract for three bridges.

The government had prioritized the mid-hill highway as the national pride project since 2069/70BS. The timeframe for the completion of this pride project is set till 2078/79BS. However, some 1,000 km of roadway was operative before the launch of the project. The new track is opened and the old ones being upgraded under the mid-hill highway.