KATHMANDU: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Gyanendra Singh Mahata has raised in Parliament the issue of damage to the suspension bridge over the Mahakali River linking Dodhara Chandani and Bhimdatta Municipality in Kanchanpur.
Speaking at Wednesday’s parliamentary meeting, Mahata, who was elected from Kanchanpur-3, said a flood surge in the Mahakali River at around 11 pm on Tuesday damaged the tower block and spur area in the middle section of the bridge, completely damaging around 75 metres of the structure.
He said two-way traffic across the suspension bridge has been completely halted following the damage. He urged the government to immediately deploy a technical team to conduct a detailed assessment, carry out reconstruction and inspect the structural safety of the bridge to resume traffic as soon as possible.
Mahata also urged the government to ensure the necessary budget and procedures for embankment construction, river control and other long-term measures to protect the bridge and surrounding structures from flooding and erosion in the Mahakali River.
The suspension bridge was constructed in 2061 BS to end the need for residents of Dodhara Chandani in Kanchanpur-3 to travel through India to reach the district headquarters in Mahendranagar.
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