Bridge at risk due to Kaligandaki River erosion

BAGLUNG: The Maldhunga Bridge, the main gateway to Baglung, has come under increasing risk due to erosion caused by the Kaligandaki River.

The threat has intensified as continuous landslides have occurred near the bridge foundation on the mountain-side section. The motorable bridge linking Baglung and Parbat districts has been affected by river erosion, raising concerns about traffic movement.

According to officials, the foundation of the main pillar on the mountain side of the bridge, which was built around three decades ago, has been eroded by the swollen river following incessant rainfall. The river level has remained high since last Thursday, and soil has started falling from the foundation area.

Chief Engineer Hari Subedi of the Road Division Office said that an initial inspection has been completed and the matter has been reported to the Division Road Office, Pokhara, for a detailed technical assessment. He said immediate repair work is not possible, and maintenance will begin only after the water level recedes and the extent of the damage is fully determined.

The Maldhunga Bridge, located on the Pokhara–Baglung section of the Mid-Hill Highway, had previously faced risks due to changes in the river’s course and ongoing erosion. Chief Superintendent of Police Phadindra Prasai of the District Police Office said that passenger and cargo vehicles are currently being allowed to operate with caution after a protective wall built to safeguard the bridge foundation collapsed.

The Road Division Office has also expressed concern over the extraction of riverbed materials around the bridge. Although existing laws prohibit such excavation within 500 meters upstream and one kilometer downstream of a bridge, officials say river exploitation has continued in the area, putting both the bridge and the nearby Maldhunga settlement at greater risk.

Engineer Amar Adhikari of the Division Road Office, Pokhara, said the current river flow is too high to begin repair work immediately. He added that conservation and repair measures will be undertaken after a comprehensive technical examination is completed and the water level decreases.