POKHARA: Three concrete motorable bridges have been completed and brought into operation along the Kaski section of the national pride project Pushpalal (Mid-Hill) Highway, easing long-standing traffic problems caused by narrow bridges on widened road sections.
Engineer Ujjwal Sharma, information officer at the Pushpalal (Mid-Hill) Highway Planning Office in Parbat, said two bridges have been constructed over Yamdi Khola in Pokhara Metropolitan City-1 and another at Panibihad near Ghattekhola in Annapurna Rural Municipality.
The two new bridges at Yamdi Khola, constructed on either side of the existing bridge, are each 52 metres long. The bridge at Panibihad is 124 metres long, according to Sharma.
The Yamdi Bridge-Nayapul section of the Mid-Hill Highway had previously been upgraded and widened. However, the narrow bridges along the route had created difficulties for vehicles, particularly when vehicles traveling in opposite directions had to pass each other.
With the completion of the new bridges, the office said the problem has been resolved. The bridges are expected to reduce travel time, improve traffic flow and lower the risk of accidents.
“The risk of accidents has been reduced after the bridges were constructed in line with the width of the road. All three bridge projects have been completed, making travel easier for passengers using the Mid-Hill Highway,” Sharma said.
The construction of all three bridges was undertaken under a single contract. The office signed an agreement with Geeta Construction of Syangja at a contract value of Rs 215.978 million.
The Mid-Hill Highway links several districts across Nepal’s hill region. With the completion of the bridges in Kaski, transportation between Pokhara and Parbat, Baglung, Myagdi, Mustang and other districts is expected to become more convenient.
Hundreds of vehicles use the highway daily to travel to and from Parbat, Baglung, Myagdi, Mustang and eastern Rukum. The route is also an important corridor for freight, public and private vehicles.
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