Four-lane bridge completed ahead of schedule in Banke

Banke. The construction of a four-lane bridge over the Pedari stream in Khajura Rural Municipality-3, along the Nepalgunj-Gulariya Postal Highway, has been completed ahead of schedule.

Although the contract deadline for the bridge construction was 2083 Baishakh 18, the project has been completed and is now operational, according to Leela Bahadur Bhandari, Chief of the Postal Highway Directorate Project Office, Nepalgunj.

“The long-standing hardships faced by the residents of Khajura have now come to an end,” he stated. “The construction company completed the work ahead of the stipulated time, and the bridge is now in operation.”

He noted that the Postal Highway Directorate conducted regular on-site inspections to ensure that the quality of work was not compromised in the rush to finish early. This bridge, considered a lifeline for the Nepalgunj-Gulariya road section, is expected to make travel between Banke and Bardiya safer and more convenient.

The newly constructed bridge is 22 meters wide and 34.4 meters long. Additionally, 200 meters of approach roads will be constructed on both sides of the bridge. The contract was signed with Narayanm Nirman Sewa for Rs 89.6 million, including VAT, with a completion deadline of 2083 Baishakh 18.

Khajura Rural Municipality Chairman Dambar BK highlighted that this achievement was made possible through the persistent efforts of the local residents, stating, “The long-held dream of the people of Khajura has been fulfilled, and we are all encouraged by the construction company's work ethic.”

According to him, not only the local residents of Khajura but also daily commuters are pleased that the bridge was completed ahead of schedule. The problem of traffic being obstructed for hours during the rainy season due to the stream overflowing onto the road will now become a thing of the past.

Despite having a four-lane road in Khajura, the narrow and dilapidated bridge built years ago meant that even minor rainfall caused water to flow over the road, disrupting traffic during the monsoon season.