Bridge construction over Doda river in Kanchanpur resumes nine years after initial agreement

Kanchanpur: Construction of the long-awaited bridge over the Doda River—linking Krishnapur Municipality and Laljhadi Rural Municipality, Bhuli Persia—has resumed, nine years after the original agreement was signed.

The contract for the bridge was awarded in Paush 2072 BS to Lumbini Rajendra Kumar Shrestha JV Kailali for Rs 24.257 crore. As per the initial agreement, the bridge was to be completed by Paush 2075 BS. However, due to unforeseen foundation issues, construction was significantly delayed.

Sub-Engineer Bhojraj Rana of the Division Road Office stated that while three pillars were constructed initially, problems in the bridge's foundation necessitated a change in design and location to control costs. "After discovering flaws in the foundation, the design had to be changed, and construction resumed at a new site," he said. "Work is now progressing rapidly, and preparations are underway to complete it by Asad."

According to the revised timeline, the bridge is expected to be completed by Magh. Engineer Kishorraj Pandey from the construction company reported that 60 percent of the bridge work has been completed.

For years, the absence of a bridge over the Doda River has caused significant hardship for locals, especially during the rainy season. Residents have had to cross the river at great personal risk. Local resident Raghubir Rana recalled that two people from Laljhadi lost their lives trying to cross the river during monsoon floods. "We had no option but to cross the river to reach our farmland, even during dangerous weather," he said. "Now that the bridge is halfway done, we are truly relieved."