Parbat District Completes Construction of 21 Motorable Bridges in Eight Years

Parbat. A total of 21 motorable bridges have been constructed in Parbat district over the last eight years. Bridge construction has been intensified with the objective of keeping all roads operational year-round after road networks reached all 61 wards, localities, and settlements in the district.

In this district, where 210 kilometers of rural roads have been blacktopped, two bridges have been built on the Mid-Hill Highway and three on the Kaligandaki Corridor. Parbat has made significant progress in physical infrastructure in the period following the recent parliamentary, provincial, and local elections.

Long bridges have been constructed over the district's two major rivers, Kaligandaki and Modi Khola, while short-distance bridges have been built over small streams in rural areas. Regular vehicle operation is currently underway on the completed bridges, including the Modi Khola bridge at Modibeni, the Bhurungdi Khola bridge at Bhuktangley, the Rati Khola bridge at Tilahar, and the Ambot Khola bridge connecting Durlung-Bajung.

Similarly, the Mardi Khola, Seti Khola, Rite Khola, and Gedi Khola bridges in Paiyun Rural Municipality in southern Parbat, along with the Kaligandaki bridge connecting Chirkhola and Jaiminigat in Phalebas Municipality, were also completed during this period. According to the Infrastructure Development Office, the Kaligandaki bridge connecting Ranipani-Imichaur to Gulmi and the Bhurungdi Khola bridge connecting Bhuk in Modi Rural Municipality to Kaski have also eased transportation in this region.

Demand for about half a dozen more bridges remains in the district. Although the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for these bridges have been prepared, budget assurance is still pending. Feasibility studies for bridges at Gadtara on Modi Khola and Jhapre Bagar have been completed, while plans for bridge construction at two locations on the Kaligandaki are in the process.

Currently, two bridges are under construction at Malyangdi Khola and on the Modi Khola at Paradhi, informed Santosh Aryal, Chief of the Infrastructure Development Office.