Five bridges along Bheri Corridor left incomplete for seven years

Seven years after the Bheri Corridor's track opened, five vital motorable bridges remain unfinished, severing direct connectivity between Jajarkot and Dolpa in Nepal. This prolonged delay has left thousands of commuters stranded and facing severe hardship, particularly during the monsoon season.

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Five bridges within a single municipality have been left abandoned.

The Caravan/Hirachan JV and Rayamajhi/Caravan JV were contracted in January 2021 to build the bridges over several streams. Despite receiving three deadline extensions, construction has stalled. The total value of these five bridges is approximately Rs184.3 million (around $1.4 million USD).

Dambar Bahadur Rawat, mayor of Nalgad Municipality, expressed frustration, stating that vehicles struggle to operate during the monsoon, forcing passengers to push them out of streams. He noted that passengers frequently disembark and re-embark vehicles at river crossings, and goods must be reloaded onto other vehicles after being carried across suspension bridges. This process significantly increases costs and travel time.

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Vehicles somehow operate during winter, but transport is disrupted every monsoon. Passengers are often forced to push stranded vehicles out of the streams.

Local residents like Dayaram Khadka and Kaman Khadka shared their disappointment, highlighting the lack of certainty regarding completion. They pointed out that the absence of bridges prevents the Jajarkot-Dolpa road from becoming a reliable all-weather route. Travelers between Nepalgunj and Dunai face expensive fares, multiple transfers, and damaged goods due to the inability of transporters to operate direct services during the monsoon. Fares can reach up to Rs5,000 for the 272-kilometer journey, with additional costs for porters.

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We have waited years believing the bridges would finally be completed, but there is still no certainty.

The Bheri Corridor Project Office reported that physical progress on the bridges ranges from only 20% to 50%. Authorities are preparing to reassign construction of three bridges to a new contractor, while the remaining two will continue with the current contractor. The delays disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and patients, who are often forced to navigate rivers and muddy stretches on foot.

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If the bridges were built, vehicles could operate throughout the year and travel would become much easier.