In rural areas, suspension bridges shorten the distance

A few months ago, after the infrastructure development office under the Koshi state government constructed an 88-meter suspension bridge in Sabhakhola, the entire village has benefited. Through Manjuwa Dobhan Sidekpa, it has become easy for the locals to come to the center of Sabhapokhari Rural Municipality, Barhabise.

The school that students from the village go to is Triveni Mabi in Harbise. Because there was no bridge, the parents were forced to keep their children under twelve. Due to which, on the one hand, parents had to live separately from their children, on the other hand, they had to bear additional expenses separately. "Now, after the construction of the bridge, the compulsion to travel for 3 hours is gone, we can reach twelve places in an hour," said Jog Bahadur Rai, a local.

A 113-meter long suspension bridge has been constructed over the Manjuwa river in Apung with the investment of the state government. Local Sangam Limbu said that it is easy to connect wards number 5 and 6 after assembly. According to the locals, even though they crossed the river with difficulty during the winter months, it was not possible to cross the river when the rains started.

To reach the headquarters of Khandbari, the residents of Sabhapokhari 5 and 6 had to walk for 2 hours daily for 8 months of the year through Dhupu. After the construction of the suspension bridge, relief has been felt, he said. The places that had to be traveled for two hours can now be reached in one hour," Rai said, "Though slowly, the suspension bridge has shortened the distance from one village to another. Locals say that it is easy to take and sell agricultural produce grown in Karesabari from one place to another.

After the construction of the bridge, it has become easier for most children and the elderly. Locals have said that now they are freed from the stress of sending their children to school.

Lakshmi Chapagain, vice president of Sabapokhari Rural Municipality, said that the suspension bridge built in remote areas of the district where concrete bridges cannot be built has directly benefited the villagers. "The bridges built in the rural areas have made it easier for the villagers to earn their daily livelihood", she said, "Farmers have started bringing the agricultural products produced at the local level to the market. Because there is no bridge, the agricultural products produced in the village have to be thrown away, but now it has got a market and value. Especially since the suspension bridge has been put into operation, pregnant and new-born women have benefited. The suffering caused by walking for 3 hours to reach the dirt road has been removed, she said, the bridge has also connected the health and education sectors.

This year alone, 3 A suspension bridge has been constructed. Those bridges were built with the investment of the state government. Infrastructure Development Office has completed 20 suspension bridge construction works in the last four years, said Chief Engineer Shailendra Kumar Singh. According to him, 4 suspension bridges were completed in the financial year 2077/78, 6 in 2078/79, 3 in 2089/80 and 7 in the current financial year.

"The suspension bridge has directly benefited the residents of the rural areas," said Singh, "We used to have to travel a lot to cut grass, but we have felt that it has become easier after the construction of the bridge." The daily life of citizens has become easier. He claimed that the suspension bridges built in rural areas have also made it easier to bring agricultural products produced at the local level to the market.

The suspension bridge has also made it easier for domestic tourists to travel. Due to the lack of roads in the hilly districts, vehicles cannot run everywhere. Therefore, it is also a problem for locals to carry their produce to the city by carrying it in Doko and Dhakram. The same method should be used to bring food and other useful goods from the market. However, because of these bridges, the compulsion to reach the river or the river bank and go up to the market has been removed. By using the bridge, it has become easier to take the products to the nearest market as the distance has been reduced. According to

engineers, it takes at least 35 to 40 lakh rupees to build a suspension bridge depending on the location. The length of the recently constructed bridges is from 68 meters to 133 meters. After the bridge was put into operation, the infrastructure office has also been giving training on maintenance and operation to the consumer committee and local residents.

Engineer Singh said that after giving training to the consumers, there were problems with the bridge and sticks and they repaired it themselves. "If there is a general problem, the consumer will solve it immediately," he said.

Along with the construction of black papers, road tacks and upgrading,

After federalism was implemented in the country and the establishment of the provincial government, the infrastructure office was established under the physical infrastructure development ministry of the province. In the last 6 years, the office has also been doing blacktops, opening road tacks and upgradation in various places of Tehrathum and Sankhuwasabha.

'We have identified the necessary areas for development and prepared the project survey design and cost estimate,' said the head of the office, 'while implementing the project, we have intensified the project supervision and evaluation, project inspection and approval work in Sankhuwasabha and Terhathum districts.' The office is conducting multi-year projects including road construction track opening and upgrading, suspension bridge, motorable bridge.

"We have strengthened the relationship between city and village residents by developing roads and bridges in a sustainable manner of modern physical facilities," Singh said. In the financial year 2080-81, 88 schemes of offices in Sankhuwasabha and Tehrathum are in operation and implementation. Among them, 4 are multi-year roads and 4 are motorable bridge projects. The office said that the work of other annual plans should be completed by the end of June.

The infrastructure development office claims that the five-year plans are in the form of people-oriented plans in both these districts. Sharma-Jylan-Vidhapuri-Chandapher-Paraly-Pari-Pari-Pari-Pari-Pari-Pari-Pari-Pharpuri-Fedaphi road, Tehrathum, Khrun-Bhandanhandar Road with Khanlanghapadi-Harfairs, Chikshujabavi and Khruthum Bharame Barang. , Sabhakhola road connecting Sankhuwasabha's Tumlingtar Airport-Highway Panchkhapan are multi-year projects. According to the Infrastructure Development Office, the goal is to complete the work on time based on the physical progress and financial progress percentage of some of these projects.

The infrastructure development office has put forward plans for road construction, repair and construction of road bridges and suspension bridges on the basis of priority, says Rajendra Karki, state MP of Sankhuwasabha and health minister of Koshi province. He said that in recent times, the construction of roads and other development has accelerated.

'Even though there is no bridge, the life of the local people has been made easier', he said, 'It has also become easier to reach the road to the lower level.' has done Although there is a large work area, the posts have not been filled according to the rank.

Minister Karki said that despite the limited resources, the development work has progressed due to the efforts of the employees, construction professionals and consumer groups. He said that while the progress of the projects carried out by the federal government is slow, the work of the projects being conducted by the provincial government is being done at a fast pace, so this is also an answer to anti-federalism.

The Infrastructure Development Office has so far paved 40 km of road including Sidhuwa Friday, Okhre Manglung Road, 16 km, Sherma Jalaj, Bhandari Road, 17 km, and Guphapokhari Chainpur, Sankhuwasabha, 7 km. Similarly, concrete bridges have been constructed at three places namely Khorunga Khola Motorable Bridge, Bhotikhola Motorable Bridge, Hewakhola Motorable Bridge and 30 km of roads have been gravelled at various places. According to the office, 50 kilometers of roads have been maintained.

The suspension bridge built over the Sabhakhola to Manjuwa Dobhan Sidekpa, which connects Ward No. 5 and 3, Sabhapokhari. Photo: Dipendra Shakya/Kantipur

Black sheeting is being done in Chitlang area of ​​Chainpur Guphapokhri twelve-bise road section of Sankhuwasabha.