The motorable bridge connecting Panchthar and Tehrathum under the Madhyapahari highway is at risk. The bridge is at risk due to the continuous erosion of the pillar towards Panchthar section with stones, sand and mud and towards Tehrathum.

Pillars in the middle of the bridge are at risk due to the problem of deepening when the flow of water increases and being covered with stones, gravel and sand during floods. This is the biggest bridge in the central hilly highway. The length of the bridge started in 2066 and completed in 2070 is 200 meters.

This bridge connecting Panchthar-Tehrathum under the Madhyapahari Highway with a length of 1,765 km was constructed by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Construction at the time. It was prepared at a cost of 15 crores and 17 lakhs. More than 300 large, small and medium vehicles cross this bridge daily. 

For the past three years, during the rainy season, Mechi Highway and Tamor Corridor connecting Panchthar and Taplejung with the Terai have blocked the roads due to landslides. 

When both roads are blocked, they go to Jorsal-Chuhandanda-Sankranti, Aunshi Bhanjyang-Manglung-Basantpur-Bhedetar and Dharan to Jhapa and Biratnagar from Fidim in Panchthar. 

In normal weather, Madhyapahari Highway is the road that transports daily consumer goods from Birtamod in Jhapa and Fidim in Panchthar to Atharai in Terathum and various markets in Fedap. If the bridge is not protected and repaired on time, the locals have been pointing out the possibility that not only Tehrathum and Panchthar, but the area covered by this road will be cut off.

Dhankuta-Panchthar border Nawa river in Tamor Corridor has not been built, while the Hewa river in Panchthar, Taplejung section has a problem of the bridge being washed away due to repeated floods. At this time, vehicles from Taplejung's Atharai Triveni to Fungling, the headquarters, cross this bridge.   "In addition to the foundation of the bridge, the process of erosion by the river is fast," says businessman Prem Poudel.

The federal government and the Madhyapahari Highway Project are responsible for the maintenance and protection of this bridge. After the bridge started to be at risk, Dilkumar Pahim, chairman of Atharai Rural Municipality of Tehrathum complained that there was no hearing when he requested the federal government, bridge sector project and road division for budget management for maintenance and protection.  

Dipendraraj Pandey, head of the Mid-Pahadi Highway Project Office, Panchthar, was repeatedly contacted regarding bridge protection and maintenance, but his phone did not pick up.

Last year, for the protection and maintenance of the bridge, the joint team of the Chief District Officer of Tehrathum and Panchthar and the people's representative of the respective local level wrote a letter to the Madhyapahari Highway Project and the Federal Government after the study. However, the concerned body did not respond to the said letter.