Urgent embankment works ordered on Mahakali river ahead of monsoon

Kanchanpur: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Physical Infrastructure and Transport, and Urban Development Kulman Ghising has directed authorities to immediately proceed with riverbank protection and embankment strengthening works to ensure the safety of the four-lane Mahakali Bridge and nearby settlements.

During an on-site inspection of the Mahakali Bridge and the river erosion area, Minister Ghising stressed that confusion regarding responsibility for embankment construction must be resolved without delay so that work can begin promptly. He warned that if the embankment is not completed before the upcoming monsoon, settlements on the left bank of the bridge and along the river would face a high risk of flooding.

He instructed the Department of Roads and the Mahakali Bridge Project Management to move forward with embankment management work immediately. The four-lane concrete bridge over the Mahakali River has connected Dodhara-Chandani Municipality to the national road network and also supports the under-construction dry port.

To protect the bridge from flood risks, temporary river control measures were carried out by the Nepal Army following a decision of the Council of Ministers on 2082 Jestha 6. The army removed accumulated river sediments around the bridge and constructed temporary emergency structures to reduce flood-related hazards.

However, as these structures are temporary, further reinforcement is required. The structure built by the army on the upper left bank of the bridge, extending approximately 300 meters, needs to be strengthened.

Minister Ghising has committed to providing necessary facilitation to ensure the reinforcement work proceeds immediately. The project authorities have also stated that the design required for the reinforcement has already been prepared.