If the concrete bridge is not built, they have to pay money to cross the dangerous bamboo bridge
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The construction of Kankai Bridge to connect Jhapa Rural Municipality-2 and Gauriganj Rural Municipality-1 under the eastern section of Hulaki Highway has been stalled for the past 13 years. The local residents are suffering because the bridge, which had a construction contract in 2068, has not yet been built.
If the construction of this bridge was completed, the transportation between Jhapa district and Koshi province capital Biratnagar would be easy. Due to the non-completion of this bridge, the business and tourism promotion of this area has also been affected.
According to Postal Highway Directorate, Planning Office, Itahari, the contract was given to the construction company to complete the construction within four years on 30th May 2068. Although the deadline for completion of the work has been fixed on May 29, 2072, 58 percent of the physical progress of the bridge has been made so far. Engineer Prabhat Kiran Rai, who is also the information officer of the office, informed that despite the extension of the contract five times, the construction could not speed up. According to him, the deadline for the fifth extension expired in June 2080.
After a technical error was found in the construction work of the bridge, at the request of the office, the expert team of Pulchok Engineering Campus studied and submitted a report with suggestions. According to the report, Engineer Rai said that although the construction company has not started the work despite being instructed to proceed with the work after solving the problems. According to him, if they are still unwilling to start the work, they are preparing to cancel the contract and proceed with a new process.
As there is no bridge on the river, common people are forced to travel here at risk. Gourigunj rural municipality has awarded a contract for 230,000 rupees for boat operation on the river during Barkhayam. According to Kartiklal Rajwansi, the Ward President of Ward No. 1, the person who took the contract is working on his own initiative by building a bamboo bridge in winter to carry motorcycles and pedestrians. Where the work is being done to collect the fee for the bamboo bridge from motorcyclists and pedestrians as well. It has been found that a one-way toll of 50 rupees is charged for motorcycles and 20 rupees for pedestrians.
Lakhikumari Ganesh, a member of the Koshi State Assembly from the same area, said that there was no hearing when the Chief Minister, construction businessmen, etc. took initiatives in the related areas. "It is understood that the work has been stopped because the bridge construction work has not been completed according to the cost estimate," she said.
