DHANUSHA: Construction of two pedestrian overhead bridges along the Janakpurdham-Dhalkebar six-lane commercial road at Mahendranagar Bazaar in Kshireshwornath Municipality-5 of Dhanusha district has been completed.
Painting and beautification works are currently underway, while preparations are being made to open the bridges to the public soon.
According to the Road Division Office, Mujelia, Janakpurdham, the bridges are the first of their kind to be constructed in Madhesh Province. They have been built to ensure safer and more convenient movement of pedestrians across the busy road.
The project involves the construction of three overhead bridges at major pedestrian crossing points: Mahila Bikash Chowk and Sakhuwa Chowk in Mahendranagar, and another in Laxminiya Rural Municipality. The total estimated cost of the project is around Rs 105 million.
Of the three structures, the two overhead bridges in Mahendranagar have been completed, said Daroga Prasad Sah, chief divisional engineer at the Road Division Office.
According to him, construction of the third bridge in Laxminiya Rural Municipality is also progressing rapidly and is targeted for completion by mid-Mangsir.
As per the project estimates, Rs 33.5 million has been allocated for the overhead bridge at Mahila Bikash Chowk, Rs 35.7 million for the one at Sakhuwa Chowk and Rs 34.2 million for the structure in Laxminiya. The estimated costs include value-added tax (VAT). Two construction companies have been contracted to build the three structures.
According to Ujjwal Jha, site engineer at the Road Division Office, each overhead bridge is 5.6 metres high, 29.4 metres long and three metres wide.
Once operational, the bridges are expected to significantly reduce the risks faced by pedestrians who currently have to cross the busy road amid moving vehicles, he said.
Chief Police Inspector at the District Traffic Police Office, Dhanusha, Surya Bahadur Shahi, said the overhead bridges would help reduce the risk of road accidents. He noted that hundreds of pedestrians use the area daily, as the East-West Highway serves as a major access route to Janakpurdham.
Local resident Shambhu Prasad Yadav said crossing the road had been particularly risky because of the concentration of markets, educational institutions and residential areas around Mahila Bikash Chowk and Sakhuwa Chowk.
Yadav, who is also the principal of Kshireshwornath Multiple Campus, expressed confidence that the overhead bridges would make road crossings safer and more convenient, particularly for children, students and senior citizens.
The completion of the two structures is expected to improve pedestrian safety and traffic management in the rapidly developing Mahendranagar area, while the third overhead bridge will further enhance safety along the busy road once completed.
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